Calabar — Agriculture minister Akinwumi Adesina said the federal government will partner various research institutions involved in agricultural biotechnology in Nigeria and abroad as another way of boosting food security in the country.

Speaking Wednesday at the Open Forum on Agricultural Bio-technology (OFAB) conference in Calabar Adesina said "before we can transform Nigeria into a leading player in global food markets and to grow wealth for millions of farmers and ordinary Nigerians, we must partner with relevant research institutions particularly agricultural biotechnology institutes in and outside the country."

Represented by the south south regional director of the ministry, Martins Odey, the minister said the world is undergoing agricultural transformation which many African nations are also keying into without regrets.

He said for Nigeria to become hunger-free, accelerate the achievement of food and nutritional security, generate employment and drive income growth of farmers "then the country cannot afford to lag behind."

Director General of National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) & OFAB Nigeria chair, Professor Bamidele Ogbe Solomon said his agency has the charge to go round the country to sensitise farmers, lawmakers, media and the people about the increasing benefits of application of Genetically Modified organisms (GM) foods and cross breeding of crops in agriculture.