‘We have home grown solution to Tomato Pest, Tuta Absoluta’

Ministry of Science and Technology has developed a pesticide agent that is very effective against the new tomato Pest- Tuta Absoluta – which has recently ravaged tomato farms in Nigeria, causing tomato scarcity.
The situation has been of great concern to the nation, as it faces its worst scarcity of the produce.

The Honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, gave a hint about the breakthrough in Abuja on Friday in a meeting with a delegation from the KIDS-FEST who paid him a visit in his office.

Few days ago, the Minister had name Tuta Absoluta as the reason for the scarcity of tomato in Nigeria.

According to the Minister, an Agency under his Ministry- the National Institute for Chemical Technology, (NARICT) in Zaria developed the pesticide agent using natural resources available in Nigeria.

Onu further opined that the pesticide was a ready solution to the rampaging pest and that there was no reason whatsoever to “go outside the country to import a solution”.

“Nigeria, following the leadership provided by President Muhammadu Buhari will soon be in a position where other nations can copy from her rather than Nigeria copying at all times from other nations,” he stated.

It is the view of the Minister that the development of the pesticide agent and the expected mass production by industrialists and support from other sources will be a sure way for Nigeria to contribute to food security in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, according to the Minister, is always ready to provide necessary support to all sectors of the economy in the sustained effort to promote national development.

Earlier, the National Project Coordinator of the Kids-Fest Nigeria, Paul Ikonne, had informed the Minister that the KIDs-Fest Foundation was part of a global project which was founded by a German woman named Sussane Prahl in Sarajevo shortly after the ethnic crisis that rocked that part of the World over a decade ago.

It has since become a global brand that promotes social integration of children through various events designed for children to mingle, share useful ideas, learn new skills, exhibit their creative talents and generally entertain themselves and the society at large from their innocent and free spirited viewpoints.

The Nigeria edition is scheduled to hold in Abuja in August and the Minister assured the delegation of the support of the ministry in ensuring the realisation of the laudable objectives of Kids-Fest Nigeria.