A biotechnology informative platform, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), says Nigeria could rake in $638 million in six years through cowpea export with the adoption of Biotech (Bt) cowpea by the Federal Government.
OFAB Country Coordinator Dr Rose Gidado, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
She said the figure was based on a study by Programme for Biosafety Systems (PBS) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), under Biosafety and Biotechnology Rapid Assessment and Policy Project (BioRAPP).
Gidado said the adoption of Pod-borer Resistant Cowpea (PBR) will enhance the output of farmers, thereby impacting positively on the nations’ economy.
She said PBR has about 105 returns on investment, adding, however, that a five-year delay would decrease the rate of return by half or 54 per cent.
Gidado said the PBR cowpea, which was insect resistant was produced by the Institute for Agricultural Research, Zaria, in collaboration with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
She said the institute also produced TELA maize, a transgenic drought-tolerant and insect-protected maize variety.
Gidado also said the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike working in collaboration with Donald Danforth Center, Missouri, also produced cassava – VIRCA Plus, a pro-vitamin A and mosaic virus resistance variety.