This week’s guest is Etta Michael Bisong, a science journalist from Nigeria and one of the 2018 Cornell Alliance for Science Fellows. Bison reports on the importance of biotechnology and GMOs in Nigeria. In this episode he talks about the importance the world has to play in helping developing countries take advantage of biotech, and the biotechnology work taking place in Nigeria.

As Bison explains, Nigeria is a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety which supports the adoption of biotechnology around the world. Being a part of this allows Nigeria to take part in biotechnology research and development, which it has been doing for the past 20 to 25 years. This research has been fruitful. Nigeria is the second African nation to commercialize a genetically modified crop—BT cotton—and has plans to release a genetically modified version of cowpea.

Despite the research taking place in the country, there is hesitancy among Nigerian farmers (and the public) to grow GMO crops. Bisong says this exists because of a communication gap, something journalists like him are trying to combat. Bisong hopes to use what he learns as an Alliance for Science Fellow to better inform Nigerians about the benefits of GMOs and how it can help farmers.

Bisong says biotechnology is critical to Nigeria’s success on the world stage, both economically and providing food security; it is a technology the nation can not do without. He hopes that one day Nigerians will come to embrace biotechnology and GMOs.

You can check some of Etta’s articles here:

• https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2018/05/gmos-contending-forces
• https://www.environewsnigeria.com/2018-alliance-for-science-fellows-urged-to-tackle-global-food-crisis/
• https://forefrontng.com/communication-development-promoting-science-sustainable-livelihood/
• https://forefrontng.com/biotechnology-can-transform-agric-sector-isu/