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Maize production: Search for solutions with TELA variety continues

Over the years, Nigeria has not been able to bridge the wide gap between the volume of maize it produces and what is consumed. However, with the introduction of variety of Tela maize, a GMO, Nigeria’s agriculture is expected to witness boom in maize production. CALEB ONWE reports

Maize, being one of the most important staple crops, is not only used as food for humans, but also an essential commodity required for the poultry sub-sector of Nigeria’s agriculture. The existing gap has been attributed to several factors, including poor soil fertility, lack of access to key inputs, especially quality seed and fertilisers. Other factors that are also blamed for the maize deficit are low levels of mechanisation and poor post-harvest management. According to findings, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has pegged the national output for maize at 10.5 million tonnes, while demand for maize is at 15.5 million tonnes, creating a deficit of about five million metric tonnes. This deficit had triggered capital flight in billions of dollars of foreign exchange in the importation of maize into the country.

Maize importation

In 2019 alone, maize imports for Nigeria was estimated to have taken up to $45,000 for 400,000 tonnes of maize. Also, just recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) granted some companies waivers to import into the country about 262,000 tonnes of maize to complement the shortfall being experienced locally as worsening insecurity impedes Nigerian farmers from farming amidst fears of kidnapping, brutal killing and other forms of criminal activities. In addition, this development also came after a ban on maize importation, which the present administration said was aimed at boosting local production of the crop.

Researchers’ inputs

Indeed, stakeholders like the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) through the National Agricultural Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) have been at the forefront of the fight against food insecurity in the country, especially propagating the use of Genetically Modified Organic (GMO) to compliment Nigeria’s food shortages. These stakeholders, alongside agriculture scientists, have stated that maize importation was not a good omen for a country like Nigeria that has so much to do with the crop in terms of consumption and FX generation. Moreover, the increasing food insecurity and acute hunger across the country have continued to widen the gap in the maize deficit and warranting more capital flight through importation of the crop commodity.

Introduction of Tela maize variety

According to Prof. Ishiyaku Mohammed, a crop scientist and Executive Director at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in Kaduna State, is one of the people behind the development of this variety of maize called Tela, which is a Latin word meaning “Shield or Protected.” He said the word means that the maize variety is protected from drought and armyworm. He also added that using a distinct name in identifying a brand of product was permissible in the field of research. The Tela maize is a genetically modified crop, which development had been on confined field trial for many years. It was just recently approved by the Federal Government for commercial release, having been certified healthy for both human and animal consumption. Scientists said that this new variety of maize is resistant to fall armyworm, stem borers and it is also tolerant to drought and also has high yielding capacity than the conventional variety. Indeed, Tela maize is now the third GMO crops, after Bt. Cotton and Bt Cowpea that have received the government’s nod for commercial release in the country. Tela maize got certified on October 8, 2021, with permit code no. NBMA/CM/003 issued by the Director General, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Dr. Rufus Ebegba.

The certificate is “for General\ Commercial Release of TELA Maize Genetically Modified for Drought Tolerance, Resistance to Stem Borer and Fall Armyworm. It comes into effect from October 8, 2021, to October 5, 2024. “The agency was convinced that there are no known adverse impacts the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, taking into account risk to human health.

The permit, pursuant to this decision, is without prejudice to other extant legal requirements. “This permit authorises the permit holder and persons covered by the permit to commercialise the Tela maize genetically modified for drought tolerance and insect resistance,” the decision document from the NBMA stated. Mohammed said It was really inspiring for IAR to secure NBMA approval for the commercial release of the drought-tolerant and insectresistant maize (Tela maize). “This goes to further highlight IAR’s capacity and commitment to providing effective solutions to agricultural problems facing our farmers and optimising food security for Nigerians.

The approval will open the way to combating the devastating effects of both drought and insect pests through the deployment of this new variety of maize into our farming system. “The next step is to further evaluate the performance of this new variety by farmers on their fields in all the major maize growing belts in Nigeria. Thereafter, we shall seek another approval by the National variety release committee before making the seeds commercially available for farmers to plant in the 2023 cropping season,” he noted. Another crop researcher and the principal investigator of the Tela maize at IAR, Prof. Rabiu Adamu, confirmed that the maize variety was confined to field trial in compliance with existing biosafety regulations. Adamu noted that the variety was subjected to rigorous test to ensure that it meets all environmental and health requirements.

Benefits of Tela maize

Farmers across the country like other parts of the world have established that major constraints to maize production are insect pests and drought. So, since scientists said the Tela maize variety is drought tolerant and also insect-resistant, it is expected that the five million metric tonnes deficit in production would soon be taken care of. Speaking on the Tela maize benefits, Mohammed disclosed that with Tela maize, farmers would save up to N268 billion annually spent buying chemicals. Other benefits of Tela maize is said to include conservation of Biodiversity through being of higher productivity per unit area, leading to reduction in the opening of new land for cultivation. It was also disclosed that adoption of this variety by farmers will give additional cost benefit of N58 billion annually because of the yield advantage of 19 per cent compared to the conventional variety.

HSE concerns about Tesla maize

Like the other genetically modified crops that Nigerian government has approved for cultivation, the Tela maize has raise some level of worries, especially by those who are opposed to the technology. But the scientists have assured that there was no cause for alarm, as all these factors were adequately put into consideration at all the development stages. The Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Prof. Garuba Sharubutu, said: “Nigerians have no reasons to fear any product from any of the government-funded research institutes as all necessary measures are taken to ensure they followed approved regulations guiding such research.”

Last line

However, Nigerian farmers and other stakeholders have expressed concerns that the integrity of the maize variety may be compromised by seed companies who would be allowed to multiply it. With this in mind, it is now a responsibility for all the regulatory agencies, especially the National Seed Council to mount surveillance on all processes of the variety multiplication to ensure that end users get value for their money.

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