…Harps On Commercialisation Of Research Findings

Commercialisation of re
search findings can only work when conditions are made attractive for the private investor to appreciate the inherent benefits of such findings, says Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
Adamu, the National President of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, and the Chairman, Board of Trustees, National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria (NAFN), an NGO, stated this on Sunday in Abuja at a forum with newsmen recently.
He said that the apparent lack of interest on the part of the private sector in commercialising local research findings was due to inadequate advocacy and sensitisation on the part of government.
“Because we are a developing economy, because government has not addressed issues to a point where the private investor can appreciate what advantages will accrue to him or her over any subject matter of research he can’t do anything.
“If you take the example of the United Kingdom under Mrs Margaret Thatcher of blessed memory or United States of America, during Reagan, before they went into full privatisation the ordinary Briton, the ordinary American before privatisation of the railway system knew what was railway, knew it was functioning.
“They knew the advantages of travelling by rail as compared with travelling by road in a car or lorry; they knew the difference between travelling by train and travelling on the high seas overseas or by ship; they knew the implications.
“The private sector, if they want to do sacrifice they do a foundation; that is a different ball game; they can do it; by then they have made  enough money on what they are doing.
“But if you want them  be involved in these things, there must be good advocacy on the side of the government.
“You must publicise this and say, this research if put to use, is to the advantage of ABCDE and you develop literatures that will sell or that will promote or propagate what you have researched upon, the outcome and the advantages.
“Anybody who has that outcome to his disposal that is the only weapon you can get to become attractive to the investor or the private sector; Government must show the way.“
The former Nasarawa state governor and now the Chairman, Senate Committee on Solid minerals,  said that although research was a very important component of agricultural development, not much had been achieved in that area.
“That is one area we are failing in agriculture. You are talking of research to produce enough food to feed 200 million mouths because I am one of those who don’t believe that we are 165 million.
“To produce food for that number, how much are we putting for research? How much is the entire budget that goes into agriculture?
“We have a budget which is about N4 trillion. How much of it will go into agriculture to produce the food that will feed this 200 million mouths without resort to looking beyond our borders to feed ourselves.
engender investment in research by the private sector.