The Federal Government has reaffirmed its dedication to advancing sustainable agricultural development through the adoption of biotechnology.
The Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Dr. Abubakar Adamu Dabban, made this known when he paid a courtesy visit to the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA).
SINL NIgeria Online reports that the visit focused on strengthening collaboration between both agencies in advancing agricultural research and biotechnology in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Dr. Dabban highlighted the importance of biotechnology in addressing key agricultural challenges such as climate change, pests and diseases, and low productivity.
He commended NBRDA for its role in promoting safe and innovative biotechnology solutions that support food security and national development.
He said, “The Federal Government has elevated agriculture as central to economic recovery, poverty alleviation, and rural employment. Biotechnology stands as a critical enabler of this vision, ensuring that innovations are safe, sustainable, and responsive to the real needs of our farmers and citizens.”
“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, food security and food sovereignty are not mere slogans, they are strategic national priorities. Your leadership at NBRDA underscores this reality. Nigeria’s biotechnology ecosystem now has renewed momentum, regulatory clarity, and institutional backing to harness modern biological sciences for crop improvement, livestock resilience, and value-chain development. ”
The ARCN Boss said Strengthening collaborative research frameworks with NBRDA and other agencies is aimed at accelerating the development, testing, and deployment of biotechnology outputs that are safe, accessible, and tailored to Nigerian agro-ecologies.
Dr. Abubakar reaffirmed ARCN’s commitment to working closely with NBRDA through joint research, capacity building, and the translation of research findings into practical solutions for farmers.
Promoting capacity building and knowledge transfer, especially in cutting-edge areas such as genomics, bioinformatics, and precision breeding, to ensure that our researchers and extension personnel lead and not follow global innovation.
“Facilitating translational research platforms that bridge academic discovery with farmer-centric outcomes—bringing results from research stations and demonstration farms to the fields of millions of small holder farmers.
Aligning regulatory and ethical standards so that the adoption of biotechnology adheres to safety, environmental protection, and societal acceptance, while also accelerating responsible innovation.”
Also speaking, the Director-General of NBRDA, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha expressed NBRDA’s readiness to deepen collaboration with the Council for sustainable agricultural development.
Prof Mustapha said the collaboration will further help both agencies cover more grounds on research, reach more donors and ensure sustainable Agriculture for all.
He appreciated Dr. Dabban for finding it worthy to visit and fashion out ways of taking the sector forward.
The visit however reaffirmed the shared commitment of both institutions to leveraging science and innovation to drive food security and economic growth in Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary was accompanied by Director of planning Research & statistics, Dr, Aliyu Shuaibu Madugu, Dr Nuhu Yusuf, Director knowledge Management and communications, Public Relations Officer, Mrs Khadijat Oluwatoyin Ameen ANIPR and Other principal staff.
