IAR moves to protect integrity of PBR Cowpea amidst increasing demand

Amidst the high demand for the PBR Cowpea variety in the market, the Institute for Agricultural Research, (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU) has set up a mechanism to guarantee the integrity of the new variety.

The need to protect the new variety against the nefarious invasion of adulterators became pertinent following the limited number of seed companies so far contracted to multiply and supply the foundation seed to farmers across the country.

Already, the companies engaged are left with the empty stock having exhausted their supply less than a month after the release just as farmers continued to demand more supply to meet the next farming season.

Answering a question at a media interaction on the protection of new Genetically Modified Organic (GMO) Cowpea in Kano, the IAR Executive Director, Professor Mohammad F. Ishiyaku, disclosed that the institute deployed access control to check the capacity of the three seed companies approved and their competence to deliver quality services.

Besides, Professor Ishiyaku explained that a stewardship committee is also constituted to evaluate the quality of services of the companies to meet the high standard of farmer satisfaction.

The PBR cowpea principal investigator reminded us that IAR in collaboration with the Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and other partners are directly engaging with farmers to adhere to basic rules and avoid the exchange of the foundation seeds and other varieties as part of measures to protect the integrity.

Ishiyaku, however, pledged to engage additional seed companies and increase the supply of the foundation seeds to meet the increasing demand in the country.

Reacting to the impact of the PBR cowpea variety in the last 12 months of its commercial release, Ishyaku stressed that the variety has multiplied farmers’ profitability and lowered their production costs.

He said the scientifically modified variety was re-constructed to resist pest attack and residual to wet season with high yield. The principal investigator noted that PBR cowpea has successfully scaled laboratory tests and was satisfied by farmers after the field test.

The scientist, who refuted the reservation of the antics on the deployment of GMO varieties, insisted the consumption of PBR cowpea has no negative implication for health or the environment.

“PBR cowpea has been tested and certified by relevant statutory regulators and after the satisfaction, the government granted the commercial release into the market. We have engaged three seed companies to multiply the seeds for supply to farmers.

“After one year of commercial release, the feelers from the market about the seeds and from the farmers are satisfactory. We are glad to say the seed is doing well and farmers are in high demand. We have recorded tremendous success and farmers are now having additional income because of the high yield,” Ishiyaku noted.

Communication expert of AATF, Mr. Alex Abutu, emphasised that the event was organised by IAR and collaborating partners to commemorate one year of PBR cowpea commercial release to farmers.

He said the occasion aimed to focus on the success stories of farmers, extension workers and seed companies on the first GMO release in Nigeria.