Dr Abraham Isah, Programme Officer of the Open Discussion board on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa, OFAB, Nigeria, has urged Northern governors to undertake the planting of Tela maize seeds of their states to reinforce meals safety.
Mr Isah, who additionally serves because the Public Relations Officer of the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria, made this name throughout a chat with newsmen after inspecting a Tela maize farm in Mashanono neighborhood, Mayo-Belwa Native Authorities Space of Adamawa on Thursday.
He expressed satisfaction with the crop’s development and inspired different farmers to domesticate it for max revenue on the finish of the season.
In accordance with him, Tela maize is a transgenic, insect-resistant, and drought-tolerant selection that must be broadly adopted, notably in Northern Nigeria, to assist farmers mitigate the challenges posed by local weather change.
“We’re right here to collect farmers’ experiences with planning transgenic crops, particularly the resistant espresso beans and the Tela maize on the way it has impacted on their lives and the neighborhood.
“And to search out out on hypothesis that farmers could not need to plant native crops after planting transgenic crops”, he stated.
In accordance with Mr Isah, the northern area experiences a excessive share of beneficial weather conditions, making it appropriate for drought-resistant crops that require minimal water.
“And naturally, that is useful for any area with inadequate rainfall,” he stated.
He urged Northern governors to make the most of these crops by guaranteeing their availability to farmers of their respective states and by educating them on the advantages of cultivating Tela maize.
He additionally reassured farmers that these crops had been secure and wholesome, advising them to not heed misinformation claiming that transgenic crops brought about infertility, most cancers, or different well being points.
Usman Abubakar, a farmer, shared his success story with transgenic crops, stating that he planted improved cotton and maize seeds and had been recording vital income on the finish of every season.
In accordance with him, when he beforehand planted native cotton seeds, he harvested solely eight kilograms per hectare. Nonetheless, with the improved seed selection, his yield elevated to 4.5 tons per hectare.
Mr Abubakar added that his income enabled him to sponsor his three kids on the American College of Nigeria, AUN, with two already graduated. Moreover, Abubakar stated he had funded the drilling of eight boreholes in his neighborhood and undertaken different charitable initiatives by means of his basis.
He famous that his success led to his appointment as an adviser to the Adamawa State Governor on Agriculture and Entrepreneurship Growth.
“And for the maize, you could have seen the distinction for your self. The native maize was broken by pests, whereas the Tela maize remained pest-free and grew a lot better,” he acknowledged.NAN
