Society and its challenges are two sides of the same coin. This implies that from time immemorial they have both existed in pari-passu. Man’s continuous exertion to curtail or eradicate challenges of every kind in the society remains unwavering as this has fostered many researches to how socio-economic challenges could be tackled for a better society.
These socio-economic challenges range from infirmity and diseases, the need for infrastructural development, unavoidably occurrence of natural disasters, predominantly, the grave effects of climate change we have today and the drawback of human proliferation that has become a breeding ground for high rate of unemployment which has also increased the spate of crime in the society. This calls for a concerted effort of humanity to solve these problems with the scarce available natural resources.
Biotechnology is an innovation resultant of the quest to address these challenges. These human challenges remain significant and society simply cannot let these potential solutions be ignored. The notion of modern biotechnology refers to a process that entails the impetus for gene manipulation, identification, extraction and insertion of same trait into different species of organism in anticipation of attaining a desired characteristic. This, scientists have come up with after rigorous researches in attempt to alleviate or solve the socio-economic challenges confronting the human society.
The pharmaceutical industry was the first to use genetic engineering (Modern Biotechnology). This was used in treating medical conditions and diseases. Interferon therapy which is used to trigger one’s immune system, hepatitis B vaccine and human growth hormone are all end-products of modern biotechnology. With the aid of modern biotechnology which insulin is a product, diabetes is being remedied. When trait that determines an individual’s height is traced for instance, extracted and inserted into another, it influences his stature as well. This can help a lot in improving conditions as scientists are still working tirelessly to improve humanity.
As earlier said, the grave effects of climate change on socio-economic status of the people cannot be over-estimated. This covers all the sectors of economy especially the agriculture. It is of the fact that the ability of any nation to feed its populace is one of the major hallmarks of development but this, we conspicuously lack in our society.
Today, over 70 per cent of the Nigerian people could barely feed thrice in a day. Farmers particularly are demoralized by low productivity after much cost and physical effort.
With optimal employment of modern biotechnology there is a new hope. Industrial farming and food production for instance, have prompted dramatic shifts in the world economy and fewer than 5% of developed countries now work in agriculture. It is predicted by World Bank that there will be need to produce yet 50% more food by 2050. It has been foreseen that by 2050 the world population would have reached nine to ten billion.
Modern biotechnology usage increases agric productivity per acre, ensure drought resistant crops and decreases in the need for chemical fertilizers, pesticide sprays and this will all go a long way to sustainably achieving the food production the world will need.
For instance, there is a lot of cassava cultivation in the country and it is being consumed almost every day, especially, in the rural areas. Meanwhile, a vegetable like carrot, which, is rich in Vitamin A, is hardly available simply because not every soil can grow it. Biotechnology has come to breach this disequilibrium. A gene that enables Vitamin A in carrot is identified and introgressed into cassava and it will have the ability to produce Vitamin A and that saves a whole strenuous efforts of having to eat carrots for one to have vit A.
Today, rice is been modified to provide essential ingredients that farmers struggle over the years to gather in a farming season. The NEWEST which is Nitrogen-use Efficiency, Water -use Efficiency and Salt Tolerance rice is capable of withstanding stress, water and nitrogen deficiencies. The product is developed by the National Cereals Research Institute(NCRI) Badeggi, Nigeria State.
The Cowpea variety under trials at the Institute for Agricultural Research(IAR), ABU, Zaria is another significant development in Nigeria’s bid to deploy the technology in the agriculture sector.
The International Institute for Tropical Agriculture(IITA) is also carrying out Confinement Field Trial(CFT) on genetically modified Cassava for cassava root starch shelf-life elongation. GM Cassava root starch will keep longer than the conventional cassava after harvest . This will help take care of post-harvest losses experienced during transportation(esp mechanical damage).
Environmental pollution is a challenge in our society. Solid wastes are major wastes being generated today, especially in the urban area. Solid wastes consist of glass, plastics and organic material like food wastes from pig or poultry farm. The old means of disposing off biodegradable wastes was to have the solid wastes deposited beneath the soil.
But today, the feasibility of modern biotechnology has enabled scientists to study and use available bacteria that are involved in degradation of wastes and when applied, rapid degradation of this waste material is ensured. By this, Biotechnology is used in cleaning up our environment. Our ocean bodies, roads and streets are still littered with plastics and there is a need to clean them up.
Genetic manipulation was devised to complement organic and conventional farming and streamline production processes. With outstanding yields using modern biotechnology tools, farmers are motivated and incentivized to farming while new body of individuals who finds it rewarding take a bold step into it.
Since the early 70s, and 80s, the Federal Government established various research institutes across the federation numbering about 16 with mandates to genetically improve the various cash crops being produced at the agroecological zones of the country.
Most of the institutes have been undertaking research using conventional plant breeding methods which has proven to be deficient in addressing new challenges facing farmers.
With these mandates embedded in research institutes responsibilities right from the begin; the question is why have we waited for so long to begin GMO research in our institutes?
There have been excitement in the various institutes across the country since IAR, ABU blazed the trail by coming out with the Bt Cotton.
The agric research institutes at Umudike, Badeggi( National Root Crops Research Institute(NRCRI); National Cereals research Institute(NCRI) and others are already working hard to get out products which are genetically modified but tally with their mandates.
Globally, various organizations including the United Nations have created enabling environment for scientists to exploit the immense opportunities that abound and here in Nigeria, government through the National Biosafety Management Agency(NBMA) has tried to ensure that all dangers associated with new technologies are adequately addressed in a way that it does not pose harm to human or the environment.
Gidado is Assistant Director at National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Abuja
