Nigeria’s federal government has introduced the TELA maize, a genetically modified organism (GMO) variety, aimed at enhancing and boosting maize production in the country.
The TELA maize was developed by the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in partnership with the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF), with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners.
During the launch event in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, emphasized that the government’s initiatives will focus on promoting the welfare, health, and security of its citizens.
“It is significant for us to realise that the technology we are talking about today is Nigeria-driven, and whatever concerns that Nigerians are expressing are not unfounded. There is no technology that has come anew and does not receive pushback. It is normal,” he added.
Echoing this sentiment, Professor Aggrey Ambali, Chairman of the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF) Board of Trustees, stated that Nigeria’s newly launched TELA maize variety will help bridge the country’s annual maize production deficit.
“Developing and commercialising this transgenic maize variety, Nigeria’s journey to food security and better livelihood for farmers is achievable,” he said.
Additionally, Professor Ambali highlighted that the TELA maize variety, with its impressive yield potential of up to 10 tons per hectare compared to the current average of three tons per hectare, marks a significant advancement in the effort to enhance Nigeria’s agricultural productivity.
The launch of TELA maize was presented as a technology-driven approach to modern farming and food production. According to Professor Ambali, this new variety, which is resilient against drought and pests, demonstrates the power of biotechnology in tackling critical agricultural challenges such as the Fall Army Worm (FAW) pest.
Dr. Canisius Kanangire, Executive Director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), praised the Nigerian government for its support of the project.
“We witnessed government bodies working with institutions such as AATF and the private sector for the country’s good,” he said.
Nigeria became the second African country to approve GMO Maize for commercial planting in February 2024, following Bill Gates’s April 2024 meeting in Riyadh with Bola Tinubu on the need to adopt GMO seeds.
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