The Nigerian Economic Summit Group(NESG),says faithful implementation of the Plant Variety Protection(PVP) Act 2021 will attract foreign investments into the nation’s seed sector as well as ensure food security in the country.
Mr. Laoye Jaiyeola, Chief Executive Officer of NESG stated this at the unveiling of the PVP Act 2021 in Abuja,where he said hunger has been on the rise for several years in Nigeria and with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, affordability, availability and accessibility to nutritious foods is increasingly becoming difficult for 52 million food insecure Nigerians.
He was represented at the event by Ms. Gloria Ekpo, Facilitator, NESG Agriculture and Food Security Policy Commission
He expressed optimism that plant breeders and farmers could offer solutions to the challenges of food insecurity in the country given the right operating environment
He said:” It requires us to re-orient food systems so that the plant breeders and farmers are given opportunities to thrive, and to be fairly rewarded for the work they do.There is no doubt that the implementation of Plant Variety Protection Act will assist to better position Nigeria to feed her growing population and equally attract foreign investments into the Seed sub-sector as well as enjoy the gains of intra- and inter-border trade opportunities in seed trade and exports.
“It is our belief that plant breeders and farmers can offer solutions to these challenges of food insecurity. But, in order to succeed, they need the right tools – and that requires us to re-orient food systems so that the plant breeders and farmers are given opportunities to thrive, and to be fairly rewarded for the work they do.
“With increased incomes and profits among small-scale farmers and plant breeders, their businesses are invested back into local economies, where they create jobs and equitable growth. This is crucial for creating opportunities for rural youth and to live and thrive in their various communities.”
He expressed that service delivery would be improved for small-scale farmers, interactive digital extension sessions and user-friendly mobile applications would be facilitated and strengthened with farmers on sustainable agronomic practices.
He added that the development would further create competitiveness within the agri-food ecosystem with appropriate demand forecasts.
“The development and uptake of innovative and support systems will remove the binding constraints with seed security and better productivity within the agriculture sector,” he said.
Also speaking,Dr. Philip Olusegun Ojo, Director General of National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), said the passage of PVP Bill by the National Assembly and its assent by President Muhammadu Buhari was an important milestone for the seed sub- sector in Nigeria.
Ojo tasked stakeholders to give priority to the implementation of the Act to guarantee transformation in the agricultural sector.
He added:”Nigeria’s agricultural sector transformation is a significant reason why the country should pay attention to plant variety protection (PVP). This would incentivise national and multinational agribusiness investments in the country.
“We will begin to see on our farmer’s field superior yielding, stress tolerant, disease resistant, climate smart and input efficient varieties which will be introduced by innovative breeders both from the public and the private sector in few years to come. In addition to the above, we will begin to witness efficient land use and reduced food cost as a result of the increased productivity from cultivated hectares across the country”
He disclosed that NASC had begun actions to set up a functional PVP office that will be capable to receive and process applications for the granting of a Plant Variety Protection rights in Nigeria from anywhere in the world, adding that the Council was working to develop supporting regulations that would help implement the Act.
