The National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) says it has developed two products, including a biofungicide, to tackle ginger blight disease in Nigeria.
The Director-General, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, said this in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Monday.
He said the achievement was made possible by the revised National Biotechnology Policy, which was driving the use of biotechnology to address national challenges.
“We are not doing it for fashion; we are not doing it for academic purposes, but to solve problems we have in this country,” he told reporters.
He said scientists had developed a disease-resistant ginger seedling and a biofungicide spray that kills the fungus. Both products are still undergoing trials.
Mustapha further said the agency was partnering with the Bank of Agriculture and seeking support from ginger-producing states, particularly Kaduna, to fast-track the products’ release.
“Every year, people are exporting ginger. Nigeria’s ginger is very important because people across the globe are looking for it,” he said.
He said the intervention would enable farmers to return to their farms and supply the crop to the local market and other African countries.
On Lassa fever, he said progress on the agency’s earlier drug discovery had stalled because of funding constraints for clinical trials and issues with the protocol.
“It is not only NBRDA that is working on this. As an agency, we are collaborating with other agencies, and that’s why the clinical trial stalled,” he told reporters, adding that the agency was still working on it.
Mustapha also said the agency was working to extend the shelf life of tomatoes.
He added that research aimed at improving the protein and oil content of soybeans was ongoing.
