A professor of Biotechnology at the Ota, Ogun State based Covenant University (CU), Olawole Obembe, has urged the three tiers government to further develop secondary and tertiary education.
Obembe, of the Department of Biological Sciences, is also seeking improved research in biotechnology, adding that the discipline should be based on long term training rather than through seminars and workshops. This, he said, is in addition to aggressive funding of specialised biotechnology centres and agencies such as the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA); National Centre for Genetic Research and Biotechnology (NACGRAB); and Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), among others.
Delivering CU’s 19th inaugural lecture at the university premises last week, Obembe, appealed to authorities across Africa to increase capacity for food production. This, according to Obembe, becomes necessary particularly amid the grim prediction by the United Nations that an additional two billion individuals are most likely to be malnourished by 2050.
Obembe, who spoke on the topic: “Subdue and dominate the earth: Plant Biotechnology for sustainable development’, admonished authorities to leverage plant biotechnology, which he described as the panacea for food, feed and fibre production.
He said, “It is noteworthy that while the world’s population is increasing phenomenally in fulfilment of the mandate of creation, the size of the planet earth remains fixed and its resources also remain finite. This challenge has had its effect on socio economic development and the overall quality of life.
“Plants are pivotal to the existence of life on the earth and in situations whereby population growth is exceeding food production, agriculture is as never before crucial to the economies and environments of the world.
“Modern agriculture must meet the demands of the ever increasing population and expectation of improved living standards, in the presence of frightening harmful consequences of diminishing arable land and environmental pollution, plant biotechnology offers the world significant opportunities to subdue and dominate over the challenge of ever growing demand for food, feed and fibre production, as well as the need for good health and well-being, ensuring that more efficient use of the world’s limited resources and consequently contributing to sustainable development.”
Obembe said Africa has the opportunity of profiting immensely from agricultural biotechnology because of its large population, rich yet uncultivated arable land which could be fully maximised.
He continued: “African countries have the greatest potentials to benefit from modern agricultural biotechnology. This is due to the fact that about 70 per cent of the populations derive their livelihood from farming. The agriculture is the single largest employer of labour worldwide, providing income for 40 per cent of the current global population.
“Agriculture contributes the largest source of income and jobs for poor rural households. Globally, 500 million small farms, most of which are still rain-fed, produce about 80 per cent of food consumed in major part of the developing world. It is noteworthy that 65 per cent of Africa’s workforce is employed by the agricultural sector, which also contributes 32 per cent of the continents’ gross domestic product.
“Agriculture accounts for one third of Nigeria’s GDP and it is the leading employment sector, as it employs over two third of the country’s total workforce. Thus unlocking this sector holds the key to socio-economic transformation in African countries in general and Nigeria in particular. Africa is home to over half of the world’s uncultivated arable land and as such has limitless opportunities to leverage on new technologies.”
Obembe noted that plant biotechnology may not directly play a role in attaining sustainable development goals (SDG4) which seeks to ensure quality and all-encompassing education for all, yet it can make indirect contribution by reducing hunger, poverty and improve health.
“By increasing the wealth generating opportunities of the resource poor farmers in rural communities with provision of better crops, they (mall scale farmers) could afford to enroll their children in school, thereby increasing the percentage of school children.
“It is generally believed that education is the foundation for improving quality of life as well as the key that will enable the achievements of several other sustainable Development Goals. With quality education, people can break from the cucle of poverty and can live healthier and sustainable lives, and in tolerance among other people thereby contributing to more peaceful societies.”
