Scholarship / It is this area wherein lies my passion - 'How your proposed study relates to' question [2]

HOW YOUR PROPOSED STUDY RELATES TO:

a) development issues at the global, national and local level?
b) development issues connected to your chosen CSC theme and the wider sector? (200 words)

The UN's State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report of 2019 titled, 'World Hunger is still not going down and obesity is still growing' gives an estimated number of 820 million people who did not have enough food to eat globally in 2018, a figure 9 million higher than what was reported the previous year. According to the same report, there are about 256.1 million hungry people in Africa. In Nigeria alone, there were about 13 million people who suffered hunger as of 2016 according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). The problem is, people seem not to be interested in agriculture because of 'more input less output'. The government on the other hand, isn't worried about the situation.

Hunger seems to be on the rise globally, and with the worrying situation described thereof, it then presupposes the need for more manpower, and biotechnology being the surest way to solving this problem. The development of cutting-edge scientific approach and technologies will help in tackling hunger, achieving food security and promoting sustainable agriculture in order to achieve Zero Hunger in Nigeria, in Africa and the world at large. It is this area wherein lies my passion.

Scholarship / WHAT YOU EXPECT WILL CHANGE IN DEVELOPMENT TERMS FOLLOWING YOUR STUDIES [2]

WHAT YOU EXPECT WILL CHANGE IN DEVELOPMENT TERMS FOLLOWING YOUR STUDIES, INCLUDING:

a) the outcomes that you aim to achieve?
b) the timeframe for their implementation?
c) who the beneficiaries will be? (250words)

Following my studies, I will have been equipped for the desired change in zero hunger sustainable development goal. Through trainings, seminars and workshops I will communicate my result-based techniques for modifying the genetic composition of staple food - rice, cowpea, yam, cassava and plantain - in order to fast-track the cultivation and production of rapid growing, pest and disease-tolerant, high yielding, high nutritional value and longer shelf-life crops. My primary aim is to make staple food be of high quality, cheap and available all year round. In doing this, I will expect more people to venture into agriculture. When more people venture into agriculture, food becomes cheap. This in turn increases the economic growth of Nigeria and its Gross Domestic Product. I also expect that private individuals and non-governmental organisations alike will be willing to support those in need of food especially those who have been displaced from their homes.

Not to forget that there is a perception out there that there's more harm than good in consuming GM food, this will be taken care of through seminars held in both rural and urban areas.

I will expect that two years after acquiring an M.Sc in Plant Science and Biotechnology and with the innovation of cutting-edge technologies, 5-10% of farmers will have started cultivating genetically modified crops that will be available to and affordable by even low and middle income earners who are my target beneficiaries. They will then have food in constant supply in the markets.

One essay at time, please