The Director-General, National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, has executed various biotechnology projects under President Bola Tinubu’s first year in office.

Mr Mustapha said this on Sunday during an interview in Abuja.

The director-general, who said the projects included food and nutrition security, said that biotechnology was capable of revolutionalising agricultural food production.

He said that plant diseases were capable of discriminating against entire crops, leading to devastating consequences for food security.

According to him, biotechnology has enabled the creation of disease- resistant crop varieties through genetic modification.

Mr Mustapha said biotechnology including genetic engineering provided powerful tools for the sustainable development of agriculture, fishery and forestry.

According to him, it is also capable of meeting food needs of the population.

He said as food security was the maiden priority of the present administration, the Federal Government approved the commercial release and open cultivation of a new maize variety, Tela maize in January.

According to him, Tela maize is a brand name for genetically modified maize hybrid developed by the Tela maize project.

He said the variety was high-yielding, adding that the hybrid had Bt genes that provide protection against insect pest and drought tolerant.

According to him, the term Bt refers to a group of soil microbes that are used to control certain insect pests.

“Tela maize is important in terms of food and feed production in this country and it is going to go a long way in eradicating hunger and in curbing malnutrition,” he said.

The director-general said the agency was researching herbicide tolerant soybean, emphasising on its importance in terms of nutrition and value chain, assuring that the crop would earn Nigeria foreign exchange.

He added that the crop was insufficient, hence the reason for its importation.

Mr Mustapha said the HT soybean which the agency was working on, would change the narrative for farmers who were already waiting for it.

He said, “Also during Tinubu’s first year in office, we released a test kit designed in the NBRDA, and in medical biotechnology, this test kit will transform healthcare system in the country.’’

He regretted that the rest kits used in the country were imported and none was being produced indigenously.

The director-general said the kits made in NBRDA were indigenous ones, expressing optimism that with knowledge acquired, more would be developed to tackle different diseases.

He added that the kits would be distributed to various hospitals in the country.

“We have also started vaccine production, hopefully before the end of this year, we will have a candidate for vaccine.

“We’ve been working hard to improve upon it, luckily this time round we have gone far and working in collaboration with other agencies, especially the Federal Ministry of Health,” Mr Mustapha said.

He said that the collaboration would help them to produce hospital requirements based on societal needs and demand.

He added, “We are very happy to see that during the first year of this administration, we have been able to do these projects and programmes.’’