Listed amongst the enormous and diverse challenges facing research institutes in Nigeria, including that of food, are poor and late release of funding, inclement working environment, infrastructural decay, weak synergy between them and the private organizations as well as ever-rising brain drain. There is also the absence of credible database to rely on for further researches that could boost the commercial viability of the products of their creative ingenuity.Yet, the nation needs functional and adequately funded research institutes to stimulate innovation and act as catalysts to economic production, employment generation and enhance the food value chain. Sad to note too that a similar scenario plays out at the several departments and faculties related to science and technology.
If for instance, there is pragmatic partnership between them and the organised manufacturing sector there will be a multiplier effect on the availability of quality processed products all year round. That would positively impact on job creation and food security.
There is much to learn from countries such as the United States of America USA, China, India, the United Kingdom, UK, Germany, Cuba and Brazil where the functions, funding and linkages between research institutes and the private sector are taken seriously.
All these challenges notwithstanding, it is interesting to note the remarkable achievements recorded over the decades by some notable research institutes in the country. One of such is the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, FIIRO, Lagos.It is worthy of note that it came into being in 1953 after an economic mission to Nigeria by the World Bank. According to the mission, it was observed that industrial activities in the country were diffused, uncoordinated, and lacking a sense of direction, more like like a rudderless ship in a storm-tossed ocean. It therefore, needed a vision to give light and life to the operations of the research institutes.
Several decades later, it is interesting to realise that the vision of the World Bank Mission to accelerate the funding of researches for the industrial revolution to add value to the mass of the largely wasting raw materials has been a dream in the right direction. With key departments such as Administration, Finance, and Supplies, Biotechnology, Chemical, Fibre, Environmental Technology some notable steps have been taken forward. Others include Food and Analytical Services, Technology, Transfer and Financial Management.
In specific terms, the fecund, passionate and patriotic minds at FIIRO have come up with innovative products spanning food, drinks, cosmetics, essential oils, soap production, and textiles.That is in addition to providing services in Consultancy and Counseling. With regards to food, cassava processing has produced flour, fufu, lafun, starch, garri and soy-garri. Significant is the 10 % cassava to 90 % wheat flour. It has also produced soy flour, soy dadawa from soyabeans in addition to flour from banana and plantain, as well as the chips.
As for drinks, it has successfully produced and packaged palm wine with long shelf-life which was thought impossible. Furthermore, it has added value to local drink delicacies such as Zobrodo and Kunusaki that are also well preserved with their high nutritional values.And on the industrial front it has come up with malt drink from sorghum, Gum Arabic, starch and textile starch, animal feed from cassava as well as alcohol from cassava peelings. These are highly commendable are they not? Of course, they are. But the challenges as earlier listed persist. So, what is the way forward for research institutes?
The federal and state governments should set up special committees that should take a critical look at the adequacy, availability and timing for the release of the much- needed funds to the institutes devoid of asphyxiating bureaucracy. Such committees should make good use of modern technology to create a dependable database for their researches, expand the horizon on the value chain of processing, preservation and packaging.
It has become expedient for the information gap between the products made by the research institutes and the general public to be closed. Information disseminated in the local languages has become a necessity. And also important is for the private sector to be well informed on the areas of partnerships they could actively engage in with the institutes.
But all these would make more impact if our best brains in each area of research are identified right from the University level, well paid and provided the enabling environment to bring out the best in them. Doing so will stem the soaring tide of brain drain. It is indeed time for Nigeria to stop the importations of both the raw materials and processed products of resources which God has abundantly blessed us with.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
