The Vice Chancellor, University of Maiduguri, has urged the Federal Government FG to leverage on the potentials of Biotechnology to enhance food and nutrition security and other socio-economic challenges in the country.
The VC made the appeal at the opening ceremony of the 34th Annual Conference of the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria in Zaria Wednesday.
Shugaba said biotechnology has the potentials and solutions to health, agriculture, security and other components of national development.
He noted that academics and experts foresee huge revolution shaped by the interaction between technology and traditional system through biotechnology.
He added that globally, biotechnology has helped address many global problems such as climate change, food security, energy security and infectious diseases.
Shugaba said lots of Nigerian scientists have the zeal and expertise to develop researches that can adequately foster solutions to most of the country’s problems.
The vice chancellor, however, appealed to the federal government to provide more funding avenues to harness from the researches of the notable scientists especially in the area of Biotechnology.
The National President of the society, Prof. Mohammed Yarima, said the use of Biotechnology application in solving the challenges became highly imperative in the post COVID-19 era when countries were seeking for more viable solutions.
According to him, Biotechnology can be the possible panacea in tackling the aftermath of the dreaded disease.
He noted that the adoption of Biotechnology application can also be used to address other agricultural and environment challenges.
He said such action would increase efficiency and allow greater use of renewable resources without leading to depletion and degradation of the environment that may cause negative impact on quality of life.
The national president said the application of Biotechnology as an important veritable tool for coupling the economy would reduce hunger, starvation and poverty in the society.
Earlier, Prof. Kabiru Bala, the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, commended the society for bringing experts to share thoughts and opinions on the use of biotechnology to address pressing global issues.
Bala, represented by Prof. Junaidu Kabiru, the Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, said ABU was a pacesetter in Agricultural Biotechnology; it developed and released first Genetically Modified crop in Nigeria for commercial cultivation.
The three-day annual conference is themed: “Exploring Biotechnology as a solution to economic and security challenges in post COVID-19 era”.