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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Agric: FG orders crops research institute to resume operationsimon timothy, AbujaTHE Federal Government has directed the international Crops Research Institute (ICRISAT) in Kano, to immediately reactivate and commence operations in line with the renewed commitment to agricultural development in the country. Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Mallam Adamu Bello, handed down the directive to the chairman of the institute�s governing board, Dr. Uzo Mukwunye, when the latter paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja. Bello expressed the displeasure of the Federal Government on the closure of the Kano centre, which he said began with the withdrawal of experienced scientists, who could have made the desired impact and encouraged government to fulfil its obligations to the international institute. According to the minister, the closure of the institute in June 2003, was due to the desertion of the scientists, who left unceremoniously. The minister reiterated the important role of the institute in the development of Nigerian, agriculture, particularly on her mandate crops millet, sorghum and groundnut, which, according to him, no other international research institute has mandate for. He, therefore called on the governing council to, as a matter of urgent necessity, commence full operations that will restore the old glory of the centre, to impact on its immediate community. The government, he said, is ready to provide the needed cooperation and fulfil its obligations to assist in the reactivation of the research centre. Earlier, Mukwunye said he was in the ministry to discuss plans for the reactivation operations at ICRISAT to serve the semi-arid areas of the country. Mukwunye, who is the chairman of the consultative Group on international Agricultural Research of which Nigeria is a member, said he needed to brief the minister on the efforts made by CGIAR to eradicate poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. He ascribed reasons for the closure of the centre to budgetary shortfalls caused by the failure of many member-countries to remit their contributions to the institute. The International Crops Research Centre for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), is one of the 16 international research centres of the Consultative Groups of international Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has the world research mandate on groundnut, sorghum, millet, rearl millet, pigeon pea and chickpea. ICRISAT�s Nigerian location was opened in Kano in 1988 with five expatriate and 55 local staff who were later reduced to one and six respectively, in 2001 before its eventual closure in 2003.
Monday, July 19, 2004 |
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