ofab katsina
TRANSCRIPT
OFAB, Nigeria Chapter Experience
By
Mrs Rose M. Gidado
OFAB Nigeria Event Manager/Organizer AT THE
OFAB KATSINA 2012, STATE SECRETARIAT CONFERENCE HALL, STATE SECRETARIATE COMPLEX, KATSINA, KATSINA STATE
13TH NOVEMBER 2012
Knowledge for Progress
About OFAB
• Launched in April 2009 in Nigeria, It’s a platform as well as a knowledge-sharing and awareness creation outfit on agricultural biotechnology and biosafety issues that will
raise understanding and appreciation of agricultural biotechnology and
contribute to building an enabling environment for decision making
• OFAB is expected to ensure that quality knowledge is disseminated to both policy makers and the larger public through provision of factual information
OFAB Chapters
AATF OFAB
Uganda
OFAB Tanzania
OFAB Nigeria
OFAB Burkina Faso
OFAB Kenya
OFAB Ghana
Why OFAB?
• Negative perceptions of biotech and misinformed discussions complicate decision making
• Well designed and executed communication activities can achieve strong, science-based understanding & appreciation of agricultural biotechnology
• Systematic, consistent provision of science-based evidence will allow informed discussions and eventually positive decision making
The OFAB Platforms
Mass Media
Monthly meetings
Social media
Special engagements Regional
meetings
Documentation OFAB
Platforms
Capacity strengthening
Issue Management
OFAB Progress
• OFAB has facilitated several meetings in partner countries to discuss pertinent issues contributing to good debate on biotechnology and biosafety
• OFAB Nigeria Chapter has experienced-
– Raised levels of awareness
– Closed gap between scientists and journalists
– New contacts and business links
– Improved regulatory environments e.g. passage of BB by the NASS.
OFAB , a powerful & effective information
sharing tool
– OFAB Nigeria is a multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary, drawing on a wide range of expertise. We have been enjoying significant convening power, demonstrated through its track record of organizing regular monthly meetings which attract large/diverse audiences and prominent speakers.
Some Success stories
DecemberJuly August September NovemberJanuary April May June
2011 OFAB Milestones and Accomplishments
First OFAB PC meeting
Second OFAB PC meeting
First OFAB Outside the Capital, NRCRI, Umudike
Passasge of the Biosafety Bill, Second
OFAB session, in Abuja and creation of the OFAB Nigeria facebook page
Third OfAB Session, held in the capital
Fourth OFAB Session, held in the Capital
Second OFAB Session held outside the Captial at IAR, Zaria
Innovative OFAB Session tagged "Poster OFAB", Third OFAB PC meeting
Advocacy Visits to the Ex- President General Olusegun Obsanjo , GFCR and Ex- minister of Science & Technology, Professor Turner Isoun
Opinion Survey Report of Participants at OFAB
2011 sessions
Opinion Survey Report of Participants in OFAB
2011 Sessions
96%
4% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Yes No
Have you heard of GMOs and know what they are?
Have you heard of GMOs andknow what they are?
Opinion Survey Report of Participants in OFAB
2011 Sessions
91%
9% 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Yes No
Would you consume GMOs?
Would you consume GMOs?
Other Activities carried out
Biotechnology Study Tour to US with the Media(both print and electronic mediar reporters), Script writer, Film Maker(Nollywood Actor), Seed Council, Consumer Protection Council.
Radio Jingles in three Nigerian Languages and English on Biotechnology
Initiatives & Strategies
USE OF TOP SOCIAL MEDIA
1. Face book- this has 750,000,000 estimated monthly visitors
2. Twitter- while twitter has 250,000,000 estimated monthly visitors
• Joined June 21, 2011
• OFAB Nigeria was the first chapter to use Facebook as a tool.
Our page on facebook
Facebook Report
OFAB Hype Effect: The number of ‘likes” or people who visit the page and leaving an impression usually peaks around the time when pictures are posted and announcement are made) and can be sustained for as long as two weeks. International Reach: It’s interesting to note our reach includes Turkey among other international friends.
Social Networking Report
Mobile Phones: Our largest audiences seem to come from people with mobile devices.
Facebook Report
Reach: This month we reached over a hundred people with Facebook, consistent with numbers over the last two edition of OFABs with about 10 percent first timers. There’s plenty room from improvement.
Facebook Report
Time line Potential: Our time line (where announcements are made for events and page updates) seems to have the greater interest for visitors, a great potential for targeting information.
• Joined June 15, 2012
• OFAB Nigeria was the first chapter to use Twitter as a tool too!
• “Tweets” are the number of posts we have made.
– They include announcements for OFAB events only which is a gross under-utility.
Twitter…..
• “Followers” are the number of handle owners that are following OFAB nigeria on twitter.
• These include individuals, journals, companies and agencies interested in us what information we have to share – A political analyst
– Kojoli farm Nigeria, Rice farms and seed distributor
– Agriculture Biotech Africa, an NGO
– Mosanto, a pioneer biotech company
• “Following” are the number of handle owners we are following.
• These include reknown journals, companies and agencies discussing issues on agricultural biotechnology
WHERE WE CAN BE Part Two
Private Biotech Companies
Government Agencies
Justin Bieber
OFAB info Materials
REPORTS EVENT SCHEDULE
PROGRAMMES FACTS SHEETS HANDBOOKS
NEWSLETTERS
Banners of Past Events
Ibadan, June 2012
Zaria, May 2011
Owerri, July 2012
Abuja, November 2011
OFAB PICTURE GALLERY SINCE 2009
Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) Nigeria Chapter
The Hon Ministers of Communications and that of Science & Technology at the OFAB Launch
4TH EDITION : TRANSCORP HILTON HOTEL ABUJA, 30TH JULY 2009
TOPIC: THE IMPERATIVES OF THE PASSAGE OF THE NIGERIA NATIONAL BIOSAFETY BILL INTO LAW
Deliberation
Participants
Guest speaker, Mr. Rufus Ebegba
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Board member, AATF
6TH EDITION : TRANSCORP HILTON HOTEL ABUJA, 24TH SEPTEMBER, 2009
TOPIC: The Intellectual Property Right (IPR)
Guest speaker: DG/CEO. NOTAP. ABUJA. Dr. Bindir
Minister of Commerce & Industries, Barrister Humphery Abah
Participants
SUMMARY OF OFAB 2010 Activities
2ND QUARTER, 1ST EDITION: CHELSEA HOTEL ABUJA, 29TH APRIL, 2010
TOPIC: Bio-fortification of Food Crops through the Application of Agricultural Biotechnology
Guest speaker, Dr. Chiedozie Egesi
Participants
House committee chairman on Agriculture
PBS Representative
Farmers Association Representative
Minister & Perm. Sec. S & T
Special Guests
2ND QUARTER 2ND EDITION : CHELSEA HOTEL ABUJA, 27TH MAY, 2010
TOPIC: Potential Benefits of Modern Biotechnology in National Economic
Development and Food Security for Nigeria
Guest speaker, Dr. Mohammed
Minister for Agriculture, Prof. Sheikh Abdullah
Participants
Interactive Session
3rd EDITION(MEDIA OFAB) : RADIO HOUSE, ABUJA, 24th June, 2010. TOPIC: The Regulation of Modern Biotechnology for National
Development
Guest speaker, Rufus Ebegba
Media Participant
Minister of Agric.
Minister of Sc & Tech
Rep, Minister of Inf. & Communications
Rep, Minister of Environ.
2ND QUARTER 4th EDITION : CHELSEA HOTEL ABUJA, 29th July, 2010
TOPIC: Adaptation to Climate Change: PPP to Develop Water
Efficient Maize for Africa
Hon. Minister of Environment
Guest Speaker: Dr. Sylvester Okeke
Executive Secretary, ARCN House Committee Chairman, Agric
A Farmer
A Visitor from US
Rep. DG/CEO, Consumer Protection Council
2nd QUARTER 4th EDITION :ARCADE HOTEL ABUJA, 30th September, 2010
TOPIC: Biotechnology for food security – Looking through the Livestock lens
Rep. Minister of Health
Guest Speaker: Dr Acho Okike, ILRI
A Seed Company Rep
A Farmer, Chief Awoniyi
2nd QUARTER 5th EDITION : ARCADE HOTEL, ABUJA, 28th October, 2010
TOPIC: Biotechnology Application in Aqua culture and Fisheries Capacity Building in Nigeria
Guest Speaker: Dr. Samuel Ofuegba
Rep. Minister of Water Resources
A cross section of participants
6th 8th EDITION : SENATE OFAB: ROOM 117, SENATE
BUILDING, NASS, ABUJA, 16th DECEMBER, 2010
Topics: The strategic importance of biotechnology to
national development; Prof. B.O. Solomon,DG/CEO-NABDA
Legislative requirements for domesticating the cartagena protocol
on biosafety (cpb); Mr. MPO Dore
The Burkina Faso Bt Cotton Experience: Chief Awoniyi
Senator Usman Hambagda
OFAB NIGERIA 2011 Events
1st edition: National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI)
Umudike, Abia State 21st MAY, 2011. Commissioning of NRCRI’s modern Biotechnology
Research Centre by the Honourable Minster of Agriculture and Rural Development, Professor Sheik Ahmed Abdullah
Minister of Agric. DG, NABDA
Commissioning of Biotech Lab.
ED, NRCRI
Dr. N. Obokoh, AATF Rep.
2nd EDITION :ARCADE HOTEL ABUJA, 23rd June, 2011
TOPIC: The Impact of National Intellectual Property Legislation on Agricultural Research in Africa
Participants
Participants Deliberations
Deliberations DG, NABDA
Deliberations
Dr. N. Obokoh, AATF Rep.
3rd EDITION :ARCADE HOTEL ABUJA, 28th July, 2011
TOPIC: An Ethical Framework for Sustainable Agro-biotechnology
Development in Africa
Participants
Rep. Hon. Minister of Science & Tech.
Rep. ED, NRCRI
Participants
Guest Speaker
3rd EDITION :ARCADE HOTEL ABUJA, 25TH AUGUST, 2011
TOPIC: The CPC Perception about Genetically Enhanced
Foods
Guest Speaker, Mrs. Ify Umeyi, DG/CEO, CPC
Participants
Prof. Magaji, Rep. ES, ARCN
Russ Nicely, USDA Rep.
ES, ARCN, Rep. Hon. Minister of Agric
Pualing Sharon, UASID Rep.
DG/CEO, RMRDC, Rep. Hon. Minister of Science & Tech.
Visit Cowpea Field Trial DG/CEO, RMRDC
Delibration
Participants
5th EDITION :ABU/IAR, ZARIA, 29TH
SEPTEMBER, 2011
TOPIC: Field Evaluation of Transgenic Cowpea: Opportunities and Challenges.
6th Edition :Gombe Jewel Hotel, Abuja, 24th November, 2011
Topic: Harnessing the Potential of Agricultural Biotechnology for Food Security and Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria.
Special Poster OFAB Session
Poster Prensentations
7TH EDITION :CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, 27TH DECEMBER, 2011
Special OFAB held at Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Residence
Stakeholders delibrating with the formal President, Chief Obasanjo
March Edition Gombe Jewel Hotel, Abuja, 29th
March, 2012
Topic: The Potentials of Bt-Cotton in
Revamping the Textile Industry.
Guest Speaker: Prof. Echekwu
Chairman, Senate Committee on Agric.
Prof. Magaji, Rep. ES, ARCN
Hon. Minister of State for Agric
Chairman, House Committee on Agric DG/CEO, NABDA
Guest Speaker, Prof. Echekwu
Exhibition of Cotton Product
MAY 2012 EDITION Topic: Biotechnology for Improved Soybean
Production in Nigeria Guest Speaker: Prof. Chiezey, IAR Zaria
The Representative of the Hon. Minister of Environment
The Representative of the Hon. Minister of State , Trade and Investment
The Guest Speaker, Prof. U.F. Chiezey, IAR, Zaria
Prof. B.O. Solomon, DG/CEO, NABDA
Dr. Frances Chukwukere The Representative of the Executive Secretary, NUC, Abuja
Mr Dede, The Representative of the DG/CEO, NOTAP, Abuja
OFAB NIGERIA RECEIVES AWARD
OFAB Nigeria Coordinator receiving an Award in honour of NABDA’s performance from the Minister of Science & Technology Ghana, Mrs Ayeti, while the ED, AATF
looks on…
OFAB NIGERIA COORDINATOR RECEIVING OFAB AWARD FOR HERSELF FROM MS RIN OF BILLGATES FOUNDATION
JUNE 2012 EDITION Topic: “Biotechnology for Improved Cocoa
Production in Nigeria” Guest Speaker: Dr. (Mrs) F. A. Okelana
Ag. Executive Director-Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN)
OFAB AFRICA GROUP PHOTOGRAPH
The House Committee chairman on science and technology- Honourable Abiodun Akinlade granting a press interview
L-R Commissioner for Agriculture, Bimbo Kolade, Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo second to the left DG/CEO NABDA and Senator Ayoade Ademola Adeseun
Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo
Senator Ayoade Ademola Adeseun
Cross section of Famers The DG/ CEO Prof. B.O. Solomon of NABDA granting a press interview
USDA Rep. Mercela A.
Group Photograph
JULY 2012 EDITION Topic: “Integrating biotechnology and
conventional approaches towards improving cassava production in
Nigeria” Guest Speaker: Dr. Chiedozie Egesi
Assistant Director (Biotechnology) and Product Development Manager BioCassava Plus
National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria
Cross section of the high table
Guest Speaker Exhibition stand of Cassava Products
Special OFAB Session for the Seed Sub-Subsector, 6th August 2012
Aim:to sensitize and enlighten stakeholders in the Seed
Industry of the Agricultural Sector on the eminent adoption of biotechnology and the use of genetically enhanced seeds and seedlings to increase agricultural productivity in the country
AUGUST EDITION OF OFAB NORTH CENTRAL ZONAL HOSTING
AT BENUE STATE, 6th September 2012
Two Topics were covered in Benue
– The Role of Biotechnology In Improving Yam for
Income and Food Security In Nigeria- Dr. Joe Onyeka,
NRCRI, Umudike
– Improving Soybean Productivity Using
Biotechnology Approach In Nigeria-Dr Ishaq Mohammed,
NCRI, Baddegi
GM Maize and Non GM
Biotech Study Tour to US
Conclusion
OFAB Nigeria Chapter has grown beyond ordinary monthly forum on agricultural biotechnology awareness, but also provides link and platform under which the Local farmers come face to face with the State government to exchange views and ideas, discuss challenges they encounter and try to proffer solution on how to move forward in agriculture in the country.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION