The National Agriculture Seed Council (NASC) has on Tuesday exhibited the performance of recently released Bt cotton varieties to enhance agricultural productivity, revived cotton, garment and textile subsector in Nigeria in line with current administration’s objective to bring back the lost glory of the textile industry.
Speaking at the event, Director General of National Agriculture Seed Council, Dr Philip Ojo said, due to the rise in global population growth, there is need to innovate technologies creates a platform for increased agricultural productivity.
Ojo also said the potential for economic growth arising from the cultivation of genetic engineered crops in Nigeria is high with increased access to food, good health and high productivity.
Speaking further, he stressed that the Bt Cotton will increases farmers revenue by reducing production costs through the use of fewer chemicals and water, reduce crop losses while achieving consistent higher productivity per hectare with potential of taking many out of poverty through economic gains gotten from increased agricultural productivity.
“It will interest you to note that cotton is at the heart of Mr President’s priority areas for economic growth through the revitalization of the textile and garment industry in Nigeria”.
He however urged all the agricultural stakeholders in the cotton value chain to seize the opportunity to regain Nigeria’s lost position in the global cotton market with the potentials and environmental endowments available in the country.
