Nigeria’s
Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved the ratification of Nigeria’s
membership of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture.
This
was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo
Nanono, while briefing journalists at the State House after the year’s first
cabinet meeting, presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nanono
said the endorsement of the treaty would enhance the capacity of agricultural
scientists and agricultural production in the country.
“This
memo which was approved today was a treaty on plant genetic resources for food
and agriculture. The importance of this treaty is for the advancement and
enhancement of the agricultural resource base of the member countries,” he
said.
“Nigeria has signed the treaty for a long time
but it is only today that the FEC approved the ratification”.
“In short, the entire treaty is meant to boost
agricultural production in the country as it affects other countries, 167 of
them,” he added.
It
would be recalled that in November 2001, the 31st session of the conference of
the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) adopted the
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
The
objectives of the pact include, to drive the conservation and sustainable use
of all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, as well as the fair
and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, in harmony with
the Convention on Biological Diversity, for sustainable agriculture and food
security.
The
treaty, which came into force on June 29, 2004, aims at recognising the
enormous contribution of farmers to the diversity of crops that feed the world,
with the hope to establish a global system that will provide farmers, plant
breeders and scientists with access to plant genetic materials while ensuring
that recipients share benefits they derive from the use of these genetic
materials with the countries where they have been originated.
As
of February 2020, the treaty had 147 contracting parties (146 states, 1
organisation).
Commenting
to this, Rose Gidado, country director, OFAB, Africa-Nigerian chapter, said it
was a right step in the right direction that is capable of ensuring food
security.
“When
we have enough to eat we would be healthy,” she added.
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