Food Security in Nigeria: Is Biotechnology the Panacea?

Food Security in Nigeria: Is Biotechnology the Panacea?

In the last fifty years, the Nigerian population has escalated at geometric proportion. Data available in the 2012 revision of the World Population Prospects by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, indicates that Nigerian population in 1950 was only 37,860,000 compared to 159,708,000 in 2010. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 44.0% while between 15 and 65 years was 53.2% and above 65 years was only 2.7%. In my article of 15th July, 2016, published on this page, I quoted  a brilliant demographic analysis made by Sanusi Abubakar, an ace columnist of Daily Trust Newspaper, published in its edition of Tuesday 28/6/2016. His analysis shows that Nigeria has an average birth rate of 850 babies per hour and an average death rate of 280 people per hour giving a population increase of 570 people per hour,  13,491 people per day and 4.92 million people per year. At this rate, Nigeria will reach 263 million by 2030 and 400 million by 2050, which will make the country to be the third most populous in the world. Currently, the population of Nigeria represents 2.35 % of the world´s population. This arguably means that one out of 43 persons on this planet is a Nigerian. With this exponential rate of population increase, the question; how can Nigeria be food secured? This question should disturb every responsible Nigeria; a leader or led, a rich or pauper a resident or nonresident, an able or disable.

The challenge of making Nigeria food secured is a herculean one, considering the current trend in food production, which has made the country to resort to massive food importation. Food imports in Nigeria have been growing at an alarming rate of 11% per annum since the 1980s. From recent government statistics (ATA documents), Nigeria was reported to be the world largest importer of wheat from USA with an annual import of N635 billion. It was also the second largest importer of rice (N356 billion), sugar (N217 billion), fish (N97 billion) and many other staple food items. These agricultural commodities have great local production potentials nationwide. In addition to these potentials, Nigerian arable land is estimated to be 79 million hectares of arable land out of which 32 million hectares are cultivated. The cultivation is done by smallholders,  mostly  subsistence  producers, which  account  for  80% of  all  farm holdings. Again, about 90% of crops production in Nigeria is under rain-fed condition making the cultivated land a mere 100 % cropping intensity. This is currently the picture of Nigerian population and food (in) security. With more population, more foods will be needed on the table as there is no alternative solution to hunger except food. How can Nigeria produce sufficient foods to meet the requirements of this teeming population?

There are several challenges militating against food production in Nigeria. These problems are diverse and interlinked with each other. This column lacks space and time to list and analyze all the problems of agriculture in Nigeria. Some of the problems can be addressed  by good government policy formulation and implementation to provide clear direction on agricultural development. However, scientific approach to address some of the challenges on sustainable manner is pertinent and timely. Challenges such as pests, diseases, inadequate rainfall for some agricultural commodities or early cease of rainfall can be scientifically addressed using biotechnology. Exponential increase of yield per unit land, reduction of maturity time of crops and animals and increase of products quality are easily achieved using biotechnology. what is biotechnology?

 Wikipedia defines biotechnology as the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products, or "any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use" Depending on the tools and applications, it often overlaps with the related fields of bioengineering, biomedical engineering, bio-manufacturing, molecular engineering, The wide concept of "biotech" or "biotechnology" encompasses a wide range of procedures for modifying living organisms according to human purposes, going back to domestication of animals, cultivation of the plants, and "improvements" to these through breeding programs that employ artificial selection and hybridization.

The use of the biological processes of microorganisms to make useful food products, such as bread and cheese, and to preserve dairy products have been in existence for centuries. These biological processes are simple form of biotechnology. Over the years, biotechnology has grown to provide breakthrough products and technologies to combat debilitating and rare diseases, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, use less and cleaner energy, and have safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes. Recent information shows more than 250 biotechnology health care products and vaccines available to patients, many were hitherto untreatable diseases; diseases that were considered "end of the road", are today vaccinated courtesy of biotechnology. In the areas of agriculture, more than 13.3 million farmers around the world use agricultural biotechnology to increase yields, prevent damage from insects and pests and reduce farming's impact on the environment. And more than 50 bio-refineries are being built across North America to test and refine technologies to produce bio-fuels and chemicals from renewable biomass, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In the last centuries, as we continued to receive more satisfying results from the use of biotechnology, more efforts were made to elevate it to includes genetic engineering as well as cell and tissue culture technologies. Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct manipulation of an organism's genome using biotechnology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries to produce improved or novel organisms. An organism that is generated through genetic engineering is considered to be a genetically modified organism (GMO). The first GMOs were bacteria generated in 1973 and GM mice in 1974. Insulin-producing bacteria were commercialized in 1982 and the sale of genetically modified food commenced since 1994 in United State. Genetic modification involves the mutation, insertion, or deletion of genes. Inserted genes usually come from a different species in a form of horizontal gene-transfer.

Genetically modified crops (GMCs, GM crops, or biotech crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. In most cases, the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species. Examples in food crops include resistance to certain pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, reduction of spoilage, or resistance to chemical treatments (e.g. resistance to a herbicide), or improving the nutrient profile of the crop.

Globally, farmers have widely adopted GM technology. Literature reveals that between 1996 and 2015, the total surface area of land cultivated with GM crops increased by a factor of 100, from 17,000 km2 (4.2 million acres) to 1,797,000 km2 (444 million acres). It was also reported that 10% of the world's arable land was planted with GM crops in 2010. In the US, by 2014, 94% of the planted area of soybeans, 96% of cotton and 93% of corn were genetically modified varieties. Use of GM crops expanded rapidly in developing countries, with about 18 million farmers growing 54% of worldwide GM crops by 2013. A 2014 meta-analysis concluded that GM technology adoption had reduced chemical pesticide use by 37%, increased crop yields by 22%, and increased farmer profits by 68%. This reduction in pesticide use has been ecologically beneficial, but benefits may be reduced by overuse. Yield gains and pesticide reductions are larger for insect-resistant crops than for herbicide-tolerant crops. Yield and profit gains are higher in developing countries than in developed countries. What are the progress made in using biotechnology to develop Nigerian agriculture? who made them? What are the challenges and implications? (To be continued) 

Adieu Baba Abdulkarim Ka'ida, the Epitome of “Due Process”

Adieu Baba Abdulkarim Ka'ida, the Epitome of “Due Process”

It was in 1976 when I was still a teenager that Baba Abdulkarim Ka’ida sent a message to Baba Mani, a cousin to my father and then my guardian, that I should relocate from Funtua to Bindawa to complete my primary school education. When the message was relayed to me, I was apprehensive and hesitant.  I wondered why I should move out of a complete cosmopolitan city of Funtua in the southern part of Katsina state to a relatively homogenous and less urbanized society of Bindawa in the northern part. No basis for comparison; Bindawa had no attractive and adventurous locations such as Dutsen Funtua, railway station and three cut-throat competitive primary schools: Aya, Gudindi and Shehu  LEA primary school. I was not given a chance to choose, it was simply an instruction for me to obey. I relocated and continued my education in Bindawa under the watchful eye of Baba Abdulkarim. I am happy I did. The period between 1976 and 1977 was full of life experiences and marked a turning point for me as a teenager with dramatic influence on life up to date.

Baba was a man of few words with each word carrying a clear message, instruction or advice depending on the circumstance. He was a man who thought before he spoke. He was a man of many trades but his major preoccupations were farming and trading. He had a provision shop located at the heart of Bindawa town. The shop grew to become the largest in the 1970s and 80s. He travelled to Sabon Gari market in Kano to purchase provision items for the shop twice a week- Saturday and Tuesday. These days were purposely selected to enable him make sales on Sunday at Charanchi market, Wednesday at Kankia market, Thursday at Bindawa Market and Friday at Rinjin Baushe Market, respectively.

Baba was a multi-task expert. He loved doing many things at the same time and he imparted such habit on me at my early age. While attending my primary school, I was also engaged in marketing of provisions in market stalls especially during holidays. I and Kawu Naisa, his shop keeper occupied different stalls at Charanchi market on Sunday, Rinjin Baushi market on Friday, Bindawa market on Thursday and Kankiya market on Wednesday, respectively. I was made to realize there is dignity in labour and one could make high profit through sales. This business/trading skill assisted me and made me to earn stipends for my upkeep right from primary school to University level. Even after my NYSC, in the 1980s, I went straight into newspapers distribution and sales business before I got a teaching appointment in Katsina Polytechnic (Now Hassan Usman Polytechnic).

Baba Abadulkarim was an ardent believer of "due process". He was nicknamed “Kaida” a Hausa word that can be translated as "follower or respecter of the due process". This was a name he earned more than 60 years ago and it became his personal identity in Bindawa town and beyond. Once, rules of engagement have been set and agreed upon, he respected such rules to the letter and expected everybody to do the same.

Baba Abdulkarim continued his preoccupation of farming and trading despite his old age. We tried to stop him but he steadily and firmly refused, and preferred to make efforts and earn a living. He was never arrogant and appreciated whatever assistance we could render. He however, believed strongly that as long as a person is alive, he/she should make efforts to be productive.

After the death of his elder brother Baba Ado, my father, and his cousins (Baba Dantababa, Baba Wada, Baba Kasimu, Baba Mani, etc), Baba Abdulkarim  took the mantle of leadership of the Lungu family. In the last 25 years, he was a pillar of the family and commanded respect of all and sundry. His words were law to us out of the tremendous respect we had for him.

Baba was loved by all the family members because there was no limit to what he could do to attend or address family matters. I vividly remember Baba's surprise appearance at my wedding in the early 1990s when Abachaeconomy was hitting hard as  lecturers of Federal Polytechnic Bauchi. Considering the situation then, I informed my relations in Bindawa of my marriage but relieved them of the trouble of coming to Bauchi for the wedding. I wasn't unaware that such decision was not good for me especially in Bauchi, because at important events like marriages, people are interested in knowing the family members of the groom. When I appointed a senior colleague to accept the bride on my behalf as demanded by tradition, people started asking is MK Othman really from Katsina as he claims? Naturally, I was disturbed that my origin was being questioned and it was just too late. On the day of the event, Baba led two busloads of delegation from Bindawa for the weddingand physically accepted the bride on my behalf. I was certainly thrilled and my happiness knew no bounds. 

In recent years, Baba's health started failing him. At a point he could no longer come out to attend to his shop. A shop, he built more than 60 years ago. One particular day, this year, I received a call from a cousin that Baba was terribly sick and was taken to hospital. I rushed to Bindawa from Zaria only to meet him relatively healthy and hearty; I was elated seeing his magical recovery considering what I was told. I deliberately spent hours with him that day discussing issues while enjoying his company. At the same time, I was replaying his life 30 to 40 years back, he was an energetic individual always ready to take responsibilities, a free councilor to the young and the old. He had no formal education but he was highly knowledgeable on politics, civil service and current affairs. It was from him, I started learning names like Kashamir, Anwar Saddat, Kwame Nkruma etc. When he was telling me these stories, I imagined he visited such people and places, it was only later I realised Baba knew such events and people through BBC, VOA Hausa service and Radio Kaduna. He was highly knowledgeable of civil servants because they come to collect provisions on credit and pay at the end of the month when salaries are paid.

In the last five years or so, he emerged to be the oldest in Lungu family, a family with over 500 people across the nation and outside. His house became a sort of Mecca for consultations, advices and support. He was an expert in conflict resolution either inter or intra families. He was a voice that everybody respected and a man virtually with no known enemies.

On Saturday 15^th Oct, 2016, I was on my way to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to board the 7am British Airline for a planned trip to Cornell University Ithaca, New York State, USA, when  I called home, as usual to bid them bye only to be told that Baba’s health condition had deteriorated. I requested to speak to him directly but he couldn’t speak to me. I was disturbed and worried; torn between the concern for Baba’s health condition and obtaining a board pass and going through the numerous security checks at the Airport. Should I stop the trip? What help could I render to Baba at this time? I went ahead with the trip, undertook more than 20hrs flight (Abuja-London-Washington-Syracuse and to Ithaca by road). The battery of my Blackberry was dead, and I was virtually incommunicado by the time I arrived my destination at 2:00 am on Sunday. On Sunday 6am, American time (12 noon, Nigerian time), I was able to open my inbox using my Galaxy note, the first message from my childhood friend Prof. Mansir Auwal Bindawa was a condolence message over the death of Baba Abdulkarim. The news was like a thunder; shocking and devastating but Ahmadu Lillah, we are all mortals awaiting for our appointed times. Babas’ time had come and gone, may Allah grant him Aljannah Firdausi, amen. Adieu Baba Abdulkarim, “Kaida,” epitome of " due process".