CONTEC Boss, UNESCO Chair, Others Chart Path for Nigeria’s Food Security

The Chairman and Founder of CONTEC Global Agro limited (CGAL), Dr. Benoy Berry, the UNESCO Chair on Plant Biotechnology at the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Prof. Wole Obembe, the Vice Chancellor, Taraba State University, Jalingo, Prof. Vincent Tenebe and the former President, Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN), Prof. Benjamin Ubi, have advocated for deepened collaboration between the private investors and government in Nigeria’s food security drive using science and biotechnology.

Dr. Berry who made the call at the conferment of the Achievers’ award on him by BSN at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Aliki, Ebonyi State, South-east Nigeria, said the call on him to invest in agro sector through the various scientific methods stemmed from the pressing need to meet Nigeria’s food challenge while at the same heeding the call to satisfy humanity’s dire for zero hunger and provision of jobs for the country’s growing population.

Dr. Berry acknowledged that CGAL’s organic farming concept has become a real life display of best agricultural practice across the world.

He said: “CGAL has become a renowned agricultural biotechnology company offering complete solutions for bio-control agents including bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, bio-fungicides, bio-insecticides and plant regulators.

“The division includes the plant tissue culture, soil testing, seed treatments and probiotic feed aimed at exploring a healthy option to get rid of the problems in modern agriculture which is eco-friendly through less use of chemicals in crops and plant cultivation.”

On the clarion call for synergy, Dr. Berry said: “I’m using this medium to advocate for synergy and collaboration between the different tiers of Government, Private Investors and the Academia to boost food productivity through applications of biotechnology using scientific best practices in Africa, especially as ECOWAS cannot continue to depend on the developed nations for its security through unabated importation.

Our Company, CONTEC Global Agro Limited is ready, willing and available with our expertise/manpower, state of the art lab and machinery to Nigeria’s food security forward, he said.

On the challenge of food insecurity in Nigeria, Prof. Obembe, member of African Biotechnology Network and the Society for Applied Biotechnology of India, hinted that the way out of Nigeria’s food crisis is through deployment of plant biotechnology as that is currently one of the tools being used by the developed countries to tackle food challenge.

On why Dr. Berry, should be emulated by other investors in Nigeria’s agro value chain, he said: “The thing is that any private investor would want to see the economic gain and that is the first priority, so they need to harp on the economic gain that they are bound to get when they invest in this new technology as Dr. Berry is presently doing.

“Company like CONTEC Global Agro Limited who is publishing its success story through this avenue should be an example because when you publish your success story to others they too can also buy into that.

“In most parts of the world this initiative is being championed by the private sector and it is the company that you hear about like biotech companies.”

While also speaking in the same vein, the Vice Chancellor of Taraba State University, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of BSN Prof. Tenebe, commended Dr. Berry on his giant stride in the agro sector which he said attracted BSN’s award to him, stressing: This patriotic man and founder of Contec Global Agro limited (CGAL), we see as an inventor and an entrepreneur.

He said: “I wish that we can have more of his type because he is investing in practical biotechnology which involves developing improved varieties of various crops using biotechnology and improving their yield and resistance to insects and pests and also they are developing what we call bio-fertilizers that means that you use fertilizers and use crop protection means that are developed from biological organisms.

“They are eco-degradable because they don’t have side effects. You see some of the chemicals that are used to produce our crops and raising our animals is what perpetually bring about some cancerous in human bodies but when you use biological means to produce is what we call organic farming or agriculture. So everything that you take is biodegradable, it rhymes with your body without any negative reactions nor any side effects.

The VC acknowledged that this is one aspect of agriculture that CGAL through Dr. Benoy Berry has become known for which is organic farming especially through its world class Plant Tissue Culture and Bio-fertilizer plant which is meant to improve the yields of crops and this they are doing very well.

He said: “As you can see their outfits are in various parts of the country and they are collaborating with various institutions. So, I commend the Chairman Dr. Benoy Berry and I’m very happy because he is even ready to train youths free of charge and has given the offer to various higher institutions to send their students for industrial training and this is being done free of charge.

“I will advise that many people who have the love of this country in their hearts and they need to develop this country and they should emulate what he is doing in the field of food sustainability.”

In his remark, a Professor of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, Benjamin Ubi, said: “In recognition of the great efforts and contributions of some distinguished personalities who have made a huge impact on biotechnology advancement and the bio-economy in Nigeria, the Society is delighted to confer Achievers’ Awards to two distinguished and eminent Nigerians as follows: Dr. Benoy Berry who is Chairman and Founder of CGAL, a pioneer and in World-class commercial tissue culture lab and Bio-fertilizers for organic farming aimed at curtailing the agrochemical burden on farm produce particularly for the export market and Senator Prof. Benedict Ayade, the Governor of Cross River State.

“On behalf of all gathered here for this conference, I congratulate these two great Achievers’ awardees and gratefully thank them for their commitment to our fatherland’s service and fostering the transformation of the bio-economy of Nigeria through their key legacy projects.”