Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development Chief Audu Ogbeh has reiterated the commitment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to promote and support indigenous innovative solutions in agriculture to guarantee food security in Nigeria.
Chief Ogbeh was speaking while on a visit to the FCT Centre for Adaptation of Science and Technology where he inspected the Agric Labs of BioCrops Biotech Limited. He stated: “I am very impressed by the efforts of the young lab scientists here, who are mainly women and graduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions, using limited funds to achieve maximum results”.
Continuing, Chief Ogbeh said: “The purpose of my visit is to encourage indigenous efforts at agricultural research and technology adaptation to the Nigerian situation. I commend their efforts in championing innovative solutions to develop ‘made for Nigeria’ and ‘made by Nigerians’ seeds and seedlings. We are going to support this effort and explore areas for collaborations".
The Minister was received by the FCT Executive Secretary for Education – Sen. Isa Maina, Founder & CEO of BioCrops - Dr. Joseph Odusanya; Programme Director - Mr Jonathan Robson and other officials, and accompanied on a guided tour of facilities including the yam aeroponics system operated in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); the alfalfa grass cultivation patch; tissue culture lab; bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides production labs etc.
Biocrops Biotech Limited is a wholly indigenous company championing innovative Agric solutions and engages young Nigerian scientists, over 70% of who are female; and most of their equipment locally adapted to reduce cost of importation.
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