NABDA wants capacity building on GMOs, LMOs sustained

• The National Biotechnology Development Agency(NABDA) says there is a need for Africa to sustain the momentum in terms of capacity building on Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOS) and Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).

Dr Toyin Solebo, Deputy Director, Agric Biotechnology Department, NABDA, said this at the end of a five day workshop on Basic Laboratory Training on LMOs Detection and Identification in Abuja.

The workshop which was hosted by the NABDA and supported by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology(ICGEB), Italy and Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD), Canada.

“There is a need for Africa to sustain the momentum because LMOs/ GMOs had become a part of our food landscape.

“Having people coming from all over Nigeria to attend the workshop show the extent of capacity we have been able to develop over the years so we will continue to build on this,” she said.

She said that most African countries are using GM crops but the question is how far have those countries gone on harmonised regulation.

Austein Mcloughlin, Scientific Officer, SCBD, said he believed the participants had a better understanding on the detection and identification of LMOs.

Mcloughlin said it is his believe that the participants would take the knowledge back to their own respect countries.

Felix Moronta, from ICGEB, said he was satisfied with the outcome of the training adding that he had not only shared his knowledge and experience but gained a lot of experience from learning how the participants worked in their various countries.

“I think Nigeria is doing great, you have built your own way, I am surprised also because of the development that are in the pipelines that will come in the next year.

“So you are doing great and you have the political will to continue and we will continue to support you in the next steps,’’ he said.

Maimuna Abdulmalik, a participant from the Institute of Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said the workshop had helped to enhance her capacity in the area of LMOs/GMOs identification and detection.

“I have learnt that you can identify and detect GMOs/LMOs by PCR which is Polymerase Chain Reaction, a technique used to detect the GMO at the DNA level

“I can also detect the GMO and LMO at the protein level.”

No fewer than 30 participants attended the workshop from various countries across the globe.