NIHORT - FAO Nigeria’s Representative, Fred Kafeero (right) handing over publications by FAO to NIHORT Executive Director, Dr. Lawal Attanda after their meeting.

Abuja - The National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) has commended the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for supporting its work with the aim of improving food security and nutrition in the country.

The appreciation was recently made in Abuja by NIHORT’s Executive Director, Dr. Lawal Attanda, when he and his delegation paid a courtesy call to the FAO’s Representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero.

Among the projects supported by FAO at the institution include promotion of biotechnology use to boost banana and plantain production; and the development of integrated pest management and bio-rational solution for tuta absoluta containment and control in Nigeria.

“NIHORT is therefore grateful to FAO for equipping and upgrading its tissue culture facilities resulting into a number of benefits including efficiency and inclusiveness in research and production activities, shifting from conventional methods to more advanced models of producing planting materials, among others,” he said.

According to him, the invasion of a pest – tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta nicknamed tomato ebola in 2015 completely grounded the national tomato value chain threatening efforts by the Federal Government of Nigeria in the area of food security.

On his side, Mr. Kafeero commended NIHORT for their commitment in the development of the horticultural sector in Nigeria and reiterated FAO’s commitment in helping the country to tap its agricultural potential to ensure food security and nutrition.

“FAO’s mandate is to ensure that the world is food secure and that malnutrition is addressed through sustainable use of natural resources. Good to see that you’re not only targeting the local market but also export and therefore the issue of food safety becomes paramount,” he said