The Nigerian government is devising a programme that will see five-million farmers nationwide being tested for Covid-19, an effort to ensure continued food security for the nation's population, estimated to be at just over 200-million. 

The country has to date tested fewer than 220 000 citizens for the virus. 

Local publication, the Premium Times reported on Wednesday that Nigeria's minister of agriculture and rural development, Sabo Nanono, made the  announcement during a virtual conference with role players in the agricultural sector on Tuesday. 

"I am happy to announce that plans are in place to test five million Nigerian farmers as part of Mr President's mandate for famine inhibiting food production," the minister was reported saying. 

Nanono also used the conference to highlight the role of biotechnology in achieving food security. 

He said modern biotechnology was a "crucial tool" in the drive to produce plants and animals that possess traits capable of enhancing humanity's capacity to secure food systems.

With the aid of biotechnology, the shelf life of agricultural produce could be extended, he said.

"Indeed, without the galvanising power of biotechnology, processing and value addition, which are critical for agro-industrialisation, [this] would be retarded."

He said the ministry would also continue to support investments in science and technology.

Nanono said he had directed the commencement of a comprehensive appraisal of the Nigerian agricultural research system, with a view to identifying ways of enhancing the performance of research institutions.

The executive director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Yemi Akinbamijo, said Nigeria was a significant player in the promotion of sustainable development goals on the continent. 

"I believe very strongly that Nigeria is an emerging leader to deploy technology. We will not do well if we continue to plant grains instead of seed. We will not do well if we continue to broaden the yield gap."

Akinbamijo said that even as coronavirus was causing job losses, there were more opportunities in the agricultural sector that could be leveraged. 

"One plus one should not be two, it should be greater than three or more. Tissue culture is the way to go," he said.

In its latest update, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reported 37 801 cases of Covid-19. The West African country has recorded 805 coronavirus-related deaths and 15 677 recoveries.