The federal government has said, the introduction of Bt Cotton was a lifeline aimed at revitalising the comatose textile industry in the country, while spurring massive employment for all.
This disclosure was made by the director-general, National Agricultural Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha in Abuja at a one day cotton farmers and other stakeholders training workshop.
Mustapha noted that due to the textile industry being one of the major economic mainstay of Nigeria in the time past, with about 130 factories, but has drastically reduced to only 33 as a result of low yields of the conventional cotton.
He stated that the federal government, determined to solve the problems, has since introduced Bt cotton, commercialised in Nigeria and already been accepted by farmers, with multiple advantages.
He added that, “statistics indicate that at its peak, between 1970 and 1990, it comprised about 130 modern factories and supported numerous other ancillary firms, providing about 350,000 direct jobs and 1.2 million indirect jobs among farmers, suppliers, transporters, dealers, traders and exporters.
“Only about 33 factories remain standing and the local cotton industry is comatose, primarily due to lack of good seeds, low yields and high production costs associated with insect damage. These pests reduce yields by up to 60 per cent which has implications on farmers’ profits and have also been found to be detrimental to the environment.
“We cannot overemphasise the irreplaceable role Bt. Cotton plays in reviving the Nigeria’s economy. It can produce 4.1 to 4.4 tonnes per hectare, compared to the local variety, which yields just 600 to 900 kilograms per hectare. Since Bt cotton can resist the devastating bollworm and tolerate sucking insects, it will help farmers reduce their use of pesticides, thus minimizing environmental impacts and lowering production costs.
“These varieties of Bt cotton are suitable for cultivation in all of Nigeria’s cotton growing zones. In addition to the pest-resistant traits, they offer early maturity, fiber length of 30.0 to 30.5 millimeters and fiber strength of 26.5 to 27.0g/tex (tenacity) and micronaire (strength) of 3.9 to 4.1. Bt Cotton varieties will save farmers the trouble of contending with the local conventional variety, which is no longer accepted at the international markets.”
Similarly, the country coordinator, Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Dr. Rose Gidado, said the workshop was designed to keep farmers and stakeholders abreast with new trends in the cotton industry.
