Food & Industrial Biotechnology Department is one of the six departments created to execute the mandate of the Agency. The department handles the promotion of activities that involve technologies utilizing living cells, or their components for the manufacture of biomaterials useful either as food, food additives, industrial products or services.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF FOOD AND INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES

The two units have been carved out for effective administrative monitoring of the activities and programmes of the department.  The focus of the department is in contributing to achieving overall goal of the Agency through well articulated sectoral activities in Food and Industrial Biotechnology.

Bioprocessing Unit

The strategy of the department is focusing on areas that give the country a competitive and comparative advantage. This is through facilitating the utilization of Research outputs from our Research institutions by investors and entrepreneurs.

Areas of Interest As an emerging economy, Nigeria is in dire need of products of the underlisted
processes of technologies:

• Production of baker’s yeast, mushroom and single cell protein.
• Processing and preservation of food.
• Production of ethanol and other industrial chemicals from industrial waste.
• Production of industrial particularly the amylolytic, protocolytic and lipolytic, for use in the food, chemical and allied industries.
• The local design, fabrication and construction of bioreactors for SMEs.
• Production of animal health products.
• Production of microbial polysaccharides.
• Production of food additives e.g. vitamins, amino acids, sweeteners and flavours.
• Increased efficiency of animal food production.
• Improved agro-processing and storage.
• Standardization of starter cultures and bio-fortification of indigenous fermented foods.

Short term Departmental programmes

Facilitation of production of the following on industrial scale:

• Alcohol (biofuel) and alcoholic beverages

• Biomass & products (SCP, Starter cultures, Enzymes and Vaccines)

• Antibiotics and biopesticides

• Carbohydrate- based fermented products (garri, fufu, or akpu, soy ogi etc)

• Vegetable protein- based fermented products (Condiments- Daddawa, Ogiri, MSG)

• Dairy Products (Nono/ yoghurt, Wara/ cheese)

 Programes of Entrepreneurship leading to industrial up-scaling :

The overall functions are achievable through the specific functions elaborated below:

• Promotion and establishment of biotech enterprises to engage in bioresources and biotech entrepreneurship development

• Compendium of market driven enterprises with R&D results.

• Identification and compilation of established profitable enterprises.
• Zonal survey of research institutions for compilation of shelved enterprises R&D results.

• Development of bioenterprises and introduction through extension activities:

• Identification of interim consultants for the specific bioenterprises.
• Exposure of designated NABDA staff to skills of specific bioenterprises.
• Development of investment profiles for each adopted enterprises.
• Acquisition and construction of appropriate tools and equipments for demonstration for each enterprises.
• Siting of demonstration enterprises at appropriate locations in each zone.
• Training of designated NABDA staff in extension practices.

Copy and adaptation of technologies including introduction of manufacturing capacity for important biotechnology products.

• Identification and negotiation for expired profitable and expandable patents.
• Provision of conducive climate for establishment of enterprises.
• Negotiation terms to include capacity building as well as transfer of enterprises outfit after a period to NABDA.
• Fabrication of equipment/ machinery for proven enterprises through application of copy and adaptation technology.

 Establishment of linkages

• Forging of linkages between laboratories & investors
• Facilitation of deployment of research outputs to pilot scale
• Development of zonal pilot plant clusters.
• Wooing of local investors.
• Training and good understanding of IPR issues.
• Designation of a desk for IPR.

 Development of Biotechnology Park(s)/Incubator(s)

• Pilot facilities
• Incubators
• Quality control and validation
• Human resource training programme and facilities
• Park infrastructures
• Stakeholders’ access
• Promotion or private-public partnership of incubators in the park

In form of grant
In form of equity

• Evaluating project proposals
• Advising on funding pattern
• Facilitating recommendations on incentives
• Guidance to venture capital institutions
• Concession to Biotech Company located in parks.

Marketing Strategies

• Product profile
• Market Survey
• Venture management
• Scales.

Information Materials

Pamphlets have been produced which serve as information materials on bioenterprises such as Snailery, Apiary, Tissue culture techniques, grass cutter rearing etc.