A statement by Dr. Rose M. Gidado of National Biotechnology Development Agency (NBDA) said it approved the official registration of 2Bt cotton varieties, MRC7377 BG11 and MRC7361 BG11.“This makes it the first genetically modified crop to be approved for planting in Nigeria. Succour has come to our farmers and textile industry.“We commended the Federal High Court in Abuja, which struck out a case instituted by civil societies, challenging National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA),” the statement said. Gidado, who said the judgment had brought to a close the long orchestrated legal battle canvassed by the anti-genetically modified activists who never believed in our scientists, stressed: “It also shows that the acceptance of the technology has been legally confirmed in Nigeria, and the era of spreading unscientific rumours is over here. It is tolerant to suckling insect pests, and has fibre length of 30.0 to 30.5mm.The statement, however, said that the feat achieved by this registration shows that the Federal Government’s investment in our research institutes was not in vain. Nigeria has registered its homegrown genetically-modified cotton.

Source: The Guardian August 27, 2018 03:45 UTC