Dr Kenneth Nwosu,the Executive Director, National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike in Abia, has said that the adoption of agricultural biotechnology will boost food production, help achieve national food security and  ensure sustainability of the sector.

He said that the institute had recorded positive results through the application of modern biotechnology onsome  crops. “The use of biotechnology will be a success story in Nigeria because any technology that is tested globally and approved as suitable for human beings, can be applied in any part of the world.

“Nigeria’s case should not be different and I hope the country will not be left behind in the scheme of things,” Nwosu said.

He further said that more than 3,500 farmers across the six geo-political zones of the country had benefitted from the institute’s products.

According to him , the application of biotechnology enabled Nigeria to become the world’s largest producer of cassava and yam with production at about 33.1 million tonnes and 19 million tonnes annually respectively.

“Cassava production is now 33.1 million tonnes annually and yam is 19 million tones annually.This track record which has placed Nigeria on the world map, was achieved through the application of biotechnology,’’ he said.

The executive director noted that the development of mini-set technique which helped to reduce the production cost of yam, cassava, sweet potato and cocoyam, was one of the notable achievements made by the institute.

The institute, he said, had released 17 varieties of cassava, adding that six improved varieties of yam would soon be released.