UNESCO-UNN Biotech Centre Set to Drive Food Security, Disease
Control in Africa
The programme expert at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, Lucy
Hoareau has revealed that the quest for food security and disease control in Nigeria and Africa will soon receive a
boost as UNESCO Category II Biotechnology Centre in the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka is set to commence full scale operation.
Speaking at the 3rd meeting of the Scientific Advisory Board
of the Centre, held in the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Hoareau noted that the
Centre had developed in infrastructure since the last time she and her team
visited earlier in 2015 Read More at: https://danelite.blogspot.com.ng/
She said that the appointment of Executive Director for the
Centre had been approved by the International Governing Board of the Centre.
The UNESCO representative said the Biotech Centre “can serve
as a hub and Centre of excellence in scientific study and research in
biotechnology for the African region”.
Hoareau urged women to show more commitment in science,
stating that improved participation of women in science was the priority of
UNESCO. Read More at: https://danelite.blogspot.com.ng/
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Prof.
Benjamin Ozumba, in his address, explained that the UNESCO Category II
Biotechnology Centre was established following an agreement signed between
UNESCO and the Federal Government of Nigeria in October 2012.
The focus of the Centre, according to him, would be on food
security, bio-resources conservation and tropical diseases research, with
emphasis on promoting research on indigenous plants and animal and diseases
peculiar to African region.
“The centre will be
equipped with the state of the arts facilities for cutting edge research, and
thus will serve as a hub for biotechnology research, not only for Nigeria but
for the whole of Africa”, he said
While thanking UNESCO for their support to the growth of the
Centre, Prof Ozumba reiterated the
commitment of the University to achieving the mandate of the Centre, promising
that his administration would do
everything within its powers to ensure that the centre lived up to its mandate
of excellence as envisioned by the UNESCO. Read More at: https://danelite.blogspot.com.ng/
Chairman, Scientific Advisory Board of the Centre, Prof
Bartho Okolo remarked that the mandate of the centre was not only limited to
food security and combating tropical diseases, but also extends to capacity building of scientists in
the region.
Okolo, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the UNN,
promised that the Advisory Board would ensure that activities of the Centre
meet international best practices in Biotechnology.
Part of activities for the meeting included a symposium on
“Sustainability Science in the Advent of Agenda 2030”. Papers were presented by Professor Umezulike
Linus Opara from Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Prof. Dele Layiwola from the University of
Ibadan; Professor Rich Umeh from the University of Nigeria; Dr. Luka Omladič from the University
of Ljubljana, Slovenia ; among others. Read More at: https://danelite.blogspot.com.ng/
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