Prof Sylvia Uzochukwu, President of the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN), has urged the Federal Government to provide adequate funding for biotechnology and biosafety agencies in the country.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja, Uzochukwu said sufficient funding would enable these agencies to fulfil their mandates independently, without relying on donor support.
Addressing current issues in biotechnology, she noted that the global population is projected to reach approximately 10 billion by 2050, meaning an additional two billion people would need to be fed.
“The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has estimated that meeting this demand will require a 60 per cent increase in food production,” she said.
She also referenced a United Nations projection that by 2050, limited availability of water, land, and energy could result in a global food crisis.
Uzochukwu, a Professor of Food Science and Biotechnology, expressed confidence that biotechnology could help address these challenges. She explained that biotechnology, particularly genetic engineering, is already playing a vital role in ensuring food security, improving healthcare, and protecting the environment. “It was instrumental in combating the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added.
She cited China’s recent achievement of increasing protein content in corn through gene editing to reduce reliance on soybean imports from the United States for livestock and poultry feed. Similarly, she mentioned that India had developed a genetically edited variety of rice that produces 30 per cent higher yields.
“The goal is to free up land for cultivating pulses and oilseeds, thereby enhancing nutrition and reducing import dependency.
“Biotechnology is not only ensuring food security and revolutionising healthcare it is also shaping international trade and diplomacy.
“Any country that neglects modern biotechnology does so at its own risk. Thankfully, Nigeria has fully embraced it,” she said.
Prof Uzochukwu further explained that the dual challenges of population growth and climate change would continue to necessitate large-scale bioengineering of crops to enhance traits such as drought resistance.
She revealed that TELA maize, bioengineered for drought and insect resistance, was approved for commercialisation in Nigeria in 2024. She added that other genetically modified crops such as Bt cowpea, Bt maize, and Bt cotton had previously been approved, all developed to resist insect pests.
