NBRDA seeks biotechnology to cut food losses

National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) has called for greater investment in biotechnology, improved food processing and preservation methods to reduce food losses and strengthen nutrition in Nigeria.

The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, made the call on Friday during the commemoration of World Food Day 2026, themed “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow.”

Mustapha said Nigeria’s food security challenges required stronger collaboration among researchers, farmers, food processors, government institutions, industry players and development partners to improve food production, safety and access to nutritious diets.

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He identified climate change, crop pests and diseases, post-harvest losses, rising production costs, inadequate storage and processing facilities as major obstacles that required sustained attention.

According to him, increasing food production alone would not address the country’s food security challenges without improvements in food quality, safety, preservation and distribution.

“Increasing food production remains important, but the challenge before us goes beyond producing more. We must also improve the quality and safety of our food, reduce losses between the farm and the consumer, preserve the nutritional value of what we eat and ensure that food is handled and processed appropriately,” he said.

The NBRDA director-general highlighted the role of biotechnology in improving agricultural productivity, supporting food production and developing useful products from biological resources.

He said the agency conducts research and development in biotechnology to provide solutions that could strengthen agricultural production and improve the utilisation of biological resources.

Mustapha cited the agency’s work in agricultural biotechnology, including tissue culture and research on biotechnology-derived crops, as part of its efforts to improve productivity.

He also identified the activities of the agency’s Food and Industrial Biotechnology Department in exploring improved food processing, preservation, value addition and the productive use of biological resources.

The director-general stressed the need to translate scientific research into practical solutions for farmers, food processors, entrepreneurs and consumers.

He said the adoption of improved technologies and processing methods could reduce food losses, preserve nutritional quality and create business opportunities through the development of useful products from research.

Mustapha also linked the agency’s activities to the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen food security under President Bola Tinubu, including the declaration of a state of emergency on food security in July 2023 and subsequent interventions to improve agricultural production and food supply.

He urged Nigerians to complement government efforts by reducing avoidable food waste, making informed dietary choices and adopting responsible food production, handling and storage practices.

“Let us innovate today, so that Nigeria can nourish tomorrow,” he said.

As part of the World Food Day 2026 commemoration, the agency organised activities to promote food safety, nutrition and responsible food handling.

The activities included school sensitisation programmes on food safety, nutrition and healthy eating, as well as visits to abattoirs to engage stakeholders on hygiene, meat handling and waste management.

The agency also held discussions on food innovation, processing, preservation, safety, nutrition, food loss and waste.