Emmppek Farms Seeks NBRDA’s Partnership on Biotechnology Solutions for Agricultural Productivity and Food Security

Emmppek Farms Limited, a Delta State-based agribusiness, is seeking to collaborate with the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) on biotechnology applications in livestock production, alternative animal feed, agricultural waste management and food processing.

The company’s Chairman, Dr Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, made this known on Thursday when he led a delegation to the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja to discuss how NBRDA’s research could be applied to the company’s farming and agro-processing operations.

In its proposal to the Agency, Emmppek Farms outlined a model for identifying research outputs with commercial potential, testing them under operating conditions and developing suitable technologies into marketable products.

The company expressed interest in alternative animal feed, including the use of black soldier fly larvae and aquatic plants as feed resources, and the development and testing of feed formulations. It also proposed assessing the potential of cassava-processing waste for ethanol production and exploring ways to improve processing efficiency and product quality through appropriate technological applications.

Responding, the Director General of NBRDA, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, highlighted the Agency’s achievement in black soldier fly production as relevant to the company’s interest in alternative feed sources. He also identified NBRDA’s biofertiliser development and research on indigenous chicken improvement as other areas of potential collaboration.

The Agency’s research on indigenous chicken improvement involves crossbreeding to enhance meat characteristics while retaining desirable local qualities, aligning with the company’s interest in improving livestock production.

Prof. Mustapha directed that a joint committee comprising representatives of NBRDA and Emmppek Farms be constituted to identify specific areas of collaboration and determine the modalities for formalising an agreement between both organisations.

The proposed collaboration would support more efficient use of agricultural resources and improved farm productivity, contributing to efforts to strengthen food security in Nigeria.