The Federal government on Friday said it had approved that Genetically Modified (GM) maize be released into Nigerian markets.
The four varieties of the TELA Maize said to be transgenic insect-resistant and drought-tolerant maize, were also reported to have been developed by a team of scientists at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Samaru, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria through the TELA Maize
Public-private partnership coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation ( ATF ).
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The approval which came through the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries (NCNRRCVLF) was headed by Prof Olusoji Olufajo at its 33rd meeting at the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan on January 11, 2024.
Olusoji disclosed that the four varieties approved are to be identified by these codes; ” SAMMAZ 72T, SAMMAZ 73T, SAMMAZ 74T, and SAMMAZ 75T”.
Experts noted that the new maize varieties are ” drought tolerant and are resistant to stem-borer and fall armyworms resulting in yield advantage of up to 10 tonnes per hectare under good agronomic practices. The national average for similar hybrids is 6 tonnes per hectare”
One of the experts, Prof Ado Yusuf, Executive Director, IAR, said “IAR is very proud of our scientists who are addressing the maize productivity challenges in the country and beyond. These varieties have undergone thorough research and have been developed”
The experts confirmed that ” the varieties are suitable for Rain Forest, Guinea, and Sudan Savannas. Stem-borer reduces maize production in several countries in Africa, while fall armyworm can destroy up to 20 million metric tons of maize in Africa each year, enough to feed 100 million people”.
It was learnt that the ” release and registration of the four varieties followed environmental release approval in October 2021 granted by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA)”.
Also, Dr Canisius Kanangire, AATF’s Executive Director, said, “The release of TELA Maize in Nigeria will contribute to food and nutrition security in line with the
Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda. AATF reaffirms unwavering commitment to addressing challenges faced by farmers across the continent.”
Furthermore, the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Prof. Garba Sharubutu, said “The approval of the TELA Maize variety in Nigeria is a critical milestone that confirms the potential of biotechnology in ensuring food and nutrition security, and improved livelihood of farming households in Africa”.
