By: Remmy Nweke
Have you ever one day stopped to ask yourself or the cyber café managers why someInternet users enter cafes and come out stressed?A lot could be attributed to such shadow experiments either by the Internet ServiceProvider (ISPs) or the café medium, depending on the level of users’ economicempowerment.
For instance, the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) sector, hascontinued to decry the epileptic power supply by the National Electric PowerAuthority (NEPA) which has forced some stakeholders to tag NEPA as the “unseensabotour” to their infrastructure decay; built and installed by either individual orcorporate organizations.
Lack of national infrastructure is another thorn in the flesh of stakeholders as far aspoor Internet service provision is concerned. Experts were also worried on thecompelling problems which include poor telephone services to lack of E1 lines andthe top on the shelf is bandwidth allocation and availability.
They cited an instance of poor telephone usage by most home users nowadays viadial-up connection, because at times in a day the connection to the Internet could notbe achieved due to faulty telephone lines.
Managing Director of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) firm, Nigeria On-LineLimited, Mr. Laleye Alao, attributed most problems between ISPs and their clienteleeither individual or corporate to poor telephone services, because “if my client, maybe, cyber café operator, could reach me and I could not respond in terms ofconnection, definitely there is problem”.
This was the reason adduced by some ISPs which introduce dedicated Internet accessto those who could pay, which usually is on the high side and therefore is notaffordable to all who wish to have a good service delivery on their systems.
Non-availability of E1 lines from national operators, such as the NigerianTelecommunications Limited (NITEL), was identified as one headache that almostcrippled the nation’s telecommunication industry as operators who applied for the E1lines were not given as at when due.
E1 lines are usually technical lines issued by major operators and accommodate about30 sub-lines which could be deployed by any industry operator for purposes ofinterconnection depending on the value of their licenses.
Champion Infotel discoveredthat a key issue in engendering the level of Internet service delivery is bandwidthdeployed by an individual or corporate for Internet access offered by the ISPs.
In computing, bandwidth, according to HelpwidthPCs.com, refers to the capacity of acommunications line or channel to transmit or receive information. It could also referto how much traffic a web hosting company have and will allow each month for datatransfer, when in this context bandwidth is measured in bits, kilobytes, megabytes andgigabytes.A bit technically is usually the smallest unit of information that could be used in acomputer.
Eight bits is equated to a byte with computing information worth 1024bytes, thus making a kilobyte in measuring of information and a million bytes ismeasured as megabytes, while a billion bytes is known as gigabytes.Like in any business setting, bandwidth therefore is seen as the “hot cake” to marketwhen it comes to offering and receiving good Internet service; the bigger the capacityof bandwidth an operator as ISP or cyber café cum small scale enterprises havemedium, the better for them, which means more customers on their network orbusiness centers.
According to Mr. Chris Stern of CS Designs, bandwidth means a lot to differentpeople including webmasters, whose job entails ensuring that the website of a givencompany is updated regularly or daily as the case may be, notwithstanding if the webhostingfirm has problem or not.
He described bandwidth as the resource a site uses on the computer whose server thecompany website is housed on. Noting that each time a file like a page, image oranimation and so on is loaded from a site, it is using a certain amount of resources orbandwidth from the computer it is on.
He likened bandwidth to electricity refrigeratoruses to run.Mr. Stern emphasized that nowadays ISPs deploy servers that set a limit to theamount or bandwidth a site may use each month and after that limit is reached, thesite would be closed and the webmaster sent a large bill that must be paid before theycould open their site again.
On the other hand, the term “bandwidth” is used merelyby electrical engineers to refer to the frequency range of an analog signal. And often,according to The IT Store, especially in the Internet community, the term is usedloosely to refer to channel capacity, or the bit rate of a link.
Internet Guide, also described bandwidth as the amount of data that could betransferred to your computer while connected to the Internet for a given time. Thehigher your bandwidth while connected to the Internet, the quicker web pages willload and download.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Koochi Communications Limited, Mr. JulianMadubuko, did not agree less and said that was why his firm conducted due diligencebefore entering the nation’s Internet provision market.
He decried the level of Internetinvestment in the country and called for a change of heart on the part of the investorsso as to develop the market. He attributed this to one of the reasons behind poorinternet service delivery in the country, saying it “is a financial one”.
According to him, lack of investment and investors are the bane of the nation’sdevelopment of robust internet and telecommunications infrastructure. Nothing thatthe government and financial sectors of the economy are yet to embrace the Internetto attract investors’ so as to push development in this area.
Citing an instance of theWestern hemisphere, he said that during the dotcom days, trillions of dollars wereraised in Western Europe and North America fueling companies, which had aninsatiable demand for internet services to invest in the region.
“This spurred on the telcos and their investors to spend huge amounts to buildinfrastructure to support this demand” he said, adding that beyond the cyber caféenvironment in Nigeria “we are not innovative enough to create new and otheravenues to provide Internet services and encourage usage, which means thatinvestment opportunity are not moving beyond the point it was two years ago”.
He called for extension of this mark beyond its entry point which is the cyber café. Tobring about an improved Internet service delivery, Mr. Madubuko also said, these arein two folds, based on content and self service to drive growth and usage possibilitiesamong the communities, the size that investors would appreciate to stick their fund.
These communities, he stressed, would continually require more and more bandwidthwhich the telecommunication companies and financiers would not resist by providingthe avenue to raise the sums required to build the infrastructure to satisfy theirdemand for bandwidth.
In a nutshell, bandwidth is a technical term for a technicalsubject which word originated from radio technology, and stands between Internetuser and the amount of information that could be used at a particular time.
This equally was attributed to the reasons in some offices, cyber cafes and evenhomes, some information such as pictures and graphics take longer time to download,yet some never come up, depending on the link(s).
Although, some of these officespay between N15, 000 and N35, 000 while single users pay between N5, 000 and N7,000 per month for Internet access to ISPs who also pay to those who they aremarketing for handsomely.
As Nigerians await when the regulatory authority, the Nigerian CommunicationsCommission (NCC) and the stakeholders under the aegis of the Internet ServiceProviders Association of Nigeria (ISPAN) and Association of Cyber-café andTelephone Operators of Nigeria (ATCON), would come up to make the NigerianInternet community smile, users are simply being milked, for the sake of keeping datewith Information Age embodied in the Internet.
Featured post @ITREALMS
Saturday, July 09, 2005
TINKERING ON CONVERGENCE
Tinkering on converged licensing The fifth annual gathering of Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) ended recently in Geneva, Switzerland with ‘licensing in an era of convergence’ discussed, reports Remmy Nweke.
IN living up to the challenges facing humanity and determined to ameliorate them through Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is tinkering on one license for a converged ICT services.
This indication came at the just concluded Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), held in Geneva, Switzerland, last December, following the adoption of the report: Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2004-2005 by GSR. With this, the ICT sector, no doubt, is undergoing a radical transformation from an industry based previously on “Plain Old Telephone Services” (POTs), to one that provides voice, data and multimedia applications.
At the same time, countries around the world are now gearing up in the process of updating licensing and regulatory frameworks to address this convergence to better promote affordable access to technologies, especially through the Internet and broadband.
GSR had also expressed a shared goal to create national regulatory frameworks that would be flexible and enable competition between multiple private sector service providers, who may want to utilise a variety of technology platforms and delivery options.
For the Director, ITU-Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), Mr. Hamadoun I. Toure, “Technological innovations and market developments are forcing telecommunication regulators to rethink their regulatory practices.”
He stressed that the reality is that with a full range of ICT services and devices available on different networks, “regulators must face the question of whether licenses that limit operators to specific services or technologies still make sense”.
ITU had noted that Broadband technologies are seen as a particularly efficient way to achieve the connectivity goal because of their ability to overcome distance, open up markets, and create employment while reducing costs.
Chairman of the GSR and Commissioner of the United States Federal Communications Commission, Ms Kathleen Abernathy, said “Broadband networks are the key to maximizing the promise of an evolving and converging ICT sector,” noting, “new wireless and converging technologies that are sure to follow could revolutionize our societies and help to close the broadband divide that exists within and among our countries.”
The regulators, further said, that in order to achieve global connectivity and to reap the social and economic benefits this will bring, could only be possible if there is fair and reasonable access for competitive broadband services, including Internet connectivity.
Mr. Touré applauded the work of regulators from the developing world in this area, saying, “in many ways they are pioneering innovative uses of technologies such as broadband and the regulatory frameworks needed to support those innovations.”
The 2004-05 edition of the annual ITU publication, “Trends in Telecommunication Reform” focused on the global trend to reduce licensing requirements and to adopt converged licensing regimes that will enable service providers to offer any and all services using the technology of their choice.
Champion Infotel recalled that the fifth Forum on Telecommunication Regulation in Africa (FTRA), held in Kampala, Uganda, between November 3 and 5, 2004, also focused on “Licensing in the era of convergence”.
This covered specifics such as the impact of convergence on existing infrastructure, technology neutral licensing, pricing of spectrum in the era of convergence, regulatory implications, electronic numbering (ENUM) or Internet Telephone Numbering System in a convergent environment, country report on regulatory activities and regional and international corporation concerns.
FTRA requested ITU to assist countries in enhancing this capacity through publications, consulting mechanism and provision of training, as well as the issue of an appropriate regulatory framework to accommodate convergence, noting that the most appropriate regulatory framework, in the convergent environment was based on technology and service neutrality, even as they advised countries to consider adopting technology and services neutrality that is most appropriate for them.
The forum deliberated at length the utilization and pricing of spectrum in the era of convergence and said that spectrum should be properly attributed and managed by a relevant authority, giving due consideration to Africa’s plan to develop rural communication through wireless technology.
With regard to the perceived dependence of regulators on revenues from licenses to support their operations, the forum noted the likely effects of reduced revenues as a result of issuance of a single license.
However, the report highlighted the global trend towards reducing licensing requirements and adopting converged licensing regimes that will enable service providers to offer any and all services using the technology of their choice in a more competitive market environment.
Increasingly, policy-makers are revamping licensing frameworks to make them more flexible and more converged through various approaches, which is good. Though some approaches favoured a generic or converged licence for all providers of telecommunication services, regardless of what technology they deploy or what specific service niche they target.
The number of regulatory authorities around the world had risen to 132 by mid-2004 from 117 in 2003; reflecting the general pattern of growth that has marked the ICT sector for over a decade, according to ITU regulatory database.
This trend towards institutional convergence continued into 2004, as existing regulatory authorities merged and new, converged ones were established from scratch. For example, in the United Kingdom, five separate agencies merged to form the Office of Communications (OFCOM) that became operational at the end of 2003.
These were the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel), the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission (ITC), the Radio Agency and the Radiocommunications Agency.
Whereas in Brunei Darussalam, the Authority for Info-communications Technology (AiTi) was created and entrusted with responsibilities in both telecommunication regulation and ICT industry development.
Thus trend towards institutional convergence commensurated with the expanding role regulators are expected to play in developing national ICT markets. To achieve their tasks, a number of regulatory authorities have become ICT enablers and promoters, supporting the development of new technologies, new services and new business models, even as for many regulators, ICT capacity-building and consumer outreach have become key mandates.
Though this is a noble step, there seem to be some nagging questions begging for answers. These include as a technological, market and regulatory trend, convergence is raising a dizzying array of regulatory and legislative issues that policy-makers and regulators will have to address, particularly in the area of licensing.
The sixth edition of Trends in Telecommunication Reform, however, explored many of these issues in a bid to launch a global dialogue on licensing and convergence in the ICT sector. For example, can policy-makers and regulators completely deregulate the licensing of spectrum? How can they move to a converged licensing framework without unduly benefiting either incumbents or new market entrants? If new and existing participants in the market are less tightly licensed, how can regulators ensure that the public interest is served appropriately? Can governments pull back on licensing and still push operators to attain societal objectives such as universal access? What is clear is that a number of pioneering governments are revamping their licensing and regulatory frameworks with the goal to better promote affordable access to the entire gamut of communication services from voice to high-speed Internet access.
Historically, service providers have used different types of networks to deliver voice, video and data offerings, as such, end-users typically use different equipment to receive these services. In a number of countries today, licensing requirements for many services are being eased in order to remove barriers to market entry and boost competition.
Instead of requiring individual licensing and lengthy application procedures, general authorizations are increasingly used for a growing number of services. A prime example of this trend could be found in the member states of the European Union (EU), following the directive of EU Parliament since March 7, 2002, which has taken a major step to create a single licensing classification for all electronic communications and has created more consistent licensing throughout its 25 member states.
With the exception of assigning radio frequencies and numbers, the EU has replaced individual licences with a general authorization to provide all electronic communication networks and services under a new regulatory framework for electronic communications.
This new regulatory framework that entered into force in July 2003 is also technology neutral, and aims to be sufficiently flexible to deal with converging markets. The authorization rules lay down an administratively simple, light-touch procedure allowing companies to enter markets quickly.
But despite its flexibility, the new regulatory framework still requires constant evaluation and review, and this reports recommended such a review for EU before 2006, so as to further discuss issues related to authorization and convergence.
Already in Africa, Kenya and Tanzania are known to be in the process of introducing a converged licensing regime. While the introduction of more flexible and straightforward licensing regimes is clearly the trend today, regulators are nevertheless confronted with a large number of challenges and choices in their progress towards this ideal.
Beyond the adoption of a converged licensing model, issues such as spectrum management, the setting of licence fees, ensuring a level playing field and the pursuit of public policy goals, including universal access, also have to be dealt with as part of the process, and if left unchanged, the licensing process could be an obstacle to the development of a telecommunication market.
This symposium brought together the heads of 54 national regulatory authorities from both developed and developing countries, with representatives from 106 countries, attracting 350 participants, and has a reputation as the most important global venue for regulators to share views and experiences by fostering an open dialogue amongst themselves and with key stakeholders, including the private sector, investors and consumers.
This is coming at a time when a crop of Nigerian IT professionals is calling for a distinct IT ministry apart from what exists currently. Although, major contention here is the licensing authority ability to contend with the new era, which entails further empowering the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in the case of Nigeria.
Probably, for this desire by global regulators to take its root in the country, it requires an enlarged NCC with sub-directorates or commissions to represent different aspects of ICT services.
This is important in getting the nation ready for global competitiveness.
IN living up to the challenges facing humanity and determined to ameliorate them through Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is tinkering on one license for a converged ICT services.
This indication came at the just concluded Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR), held in Geneva, Switzerland, last December, following the adoption of the report: Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2004-2005 by GSR. With this, the ICT sector, no doubt, is undergoing a radical transformation from an industry based previously on “Plain Old Telephone Services” (POTs), to one that provides voice, data and multimedia applications.
At the same time, countries around the world are now gearing up in the process of updating licensing and regulatory frameworks to address this convergence to better promote affordable access to technologies, especially through the Internet and broadband.
GSR had also expressed a shared goal to create national regulatory frameworks that would be flexible and enable competition between multiple private sector service providers, who may want to utilise a variety of technology platforms and delivery options.
For the Director, ITU-Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), Mr. Hamadoun I. Toure, “Technological innovations and market developments are forcing telecommunication regulators to rethink their regulatory practices.”
He stressed that the reality is that with a full range of ICT services and devices available on different networks, “regulators must face the question of whether licenses that limit operators to specific services or technologies still make sense”.
ITU had noted that Broadband technologies are seen as a particularly efficient way to achieve the connectivity goal because of their ability to overcome distance, open up markets, and create employment while reducing costs.
Chairman of the GSR and Commissioner of the United States Federal Communications Commission, Ms Kathleen Abernathy, said “Broadband networks are the key to maximizing the promise of an evolving and converging ICT sector,” noting, “new wireless and converging technologies that are sure to follow could revolutionize our societies and help to close the broadband divide that exists within and among our countries.”
The regulators, further said, that in order to achieve global connectivity and to reap the social and economic benefits this will bring, could only be possible if there is fair and reasonable access for competitive broadband services, including Internet connectivity.
Mr. Touré applauded the work of regulators from the developing world in this area, saying, “in many ways they are pioneering innovative uses of technologies such as broadband and the regulatory frameworks needed to support those innovations.”
The 2004-05 edition of the annual ITU publication, “Trends in Telecommunication Reform” focused on the global trend to reduce licensing requirements and to adopt converged licensing regimes that will enable service providers to offer any and all services using the technology of their choice.
Champion Infotel recalled that the fifth Forum on Telecommunication Regulation in Africa (FTRA), held in Kampala, Uganda, between November 3 and 5, 2004, also focused on “Licensing in the era of convergence”.
This covered specifics such as the impact of convergence on existing infrastructure, technology neutral licensing, pricing of spectrum in the era of convergence, regulatory implications, electronic numbering (ENUM) or Internet Telephone Numbering System in a convergent environment, country report on regulatory activities and regional and international corporation concerns.
FTRA requested ITU to assist countries in enhancing this capacity through publications, consulting mechanism and provision of training, as well as the issue of an appropriate regulatory framework to accommodate convergence, noting that the most appropriate regulatory framework, in the convergent environment was based on technology and service neutrality, even as they advised countries to consider adopting technology and services neutrality that is most appropriate for them.
The forum deliberated at length the utilization and pricing of spectrum in the era of convergence and said that spectrum should be properly attributed and managed by a relevant authority, giving due consideration to Africa’s plan to develop rural communication through wireless technology.
With regard to the perceived dependence of regulators on revenues from licenses to support their operations, the forum noted the likely effects of reduced revenues as a result of issuance of a single license.
However, the report highlighted the global trend towards reducing licensing requirements and adopting converged licensing regimes that will enable service providers to offer any and all services using the technology of their choice in a more competitive market environment.
Increasingly, policy-makers are revamping licensing frameworks to make them more flexible and more converged through various approaches, which is good. Though some approaches favoured a generic or converged licence for all providers of telecommunication services, regardless of what technology they deploy or what specific service niche they target.
The number of regulatory authorities around the world had risen to 132 by mid-2004 from 117 in 2003; reflecting the general pattern of growth that has marked the ICT sector for over a decade, according to ITU regulatory database.
This trend towards institutional convergence continued into 2004, as existing regulatory authorities merged and new, converged ones were established from scratch. For example, in the United Kingdom, five separate agencies merged to form the Office of Communications (OFCOM) that became operational at the end of 2003.
These were the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel), the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission (ITC), the Radio Agency and the Radiocommunications Agency.
Whereas in Brunei Darussalam, the Authority for Info-communications Technology (AiTi) was created and entrusted with responsibilities in both telecommunication regulation and ICT industry development.
Thus trend towards institutional convergence commensurated with the expanding role regulators are expected to play in developing national ICT markets. To achieve their tasks, a number of regulatory authorities have become ICT enablers and promoters, supporting the development of new technologies, new services and new business models, even as for many regulators, ICT capacity-building and consumer outreach have become key mandates.
Though this is a noble step, there seem to be some nagging questions begging for answers. These include as a technological, market and regulatory trend, convergence is raising a dizzying array of regulatory and legislative issues that policy-makers and regulators will have to address, particularly in the area of licensing.
The sixth edition of Trends in Telecommunication Reform, however, explored many of these issues in a bid to launch a global dialogue on licensing and convergence in the ICT sector. For example, can policy-makers and regulators completely deregulate the licensing of spectrum? How can they move to a converged licensing framework without unduly benefiting either incumbents or new market entrants? If new and existing participants in the market are less tightly licensed, how can regulators ensure that the public interest is served appropriately? Can governments pull back on licensing and still push operators to attain societal objectives such as universal access? What is clear is that a number of pioneering governments are revamping their licensing and regulatory frameworks with the goal to better promote affordable access to the entire gamut of communication services from voice to high-speed Internet access.
Historically, service providers have used different types of networks to deliver voice, video and data offerings, as such, end-users typically use different equipment to receive these services. In a number of countries today, licensing requirements for many services are being eased in order to remove barriers to market entry and boost competition.
Instead of requiring individual licensing and lengthy application procedures, general authorizations are increasingly used for a growing number of services. A prime example of this trend could be found in the member states of the European Union (EU), following the directive of EU Parliament since March 7, 2002, which has taken a major step to create a single licensing classification for all electronic communications and has created more consistent licensing throughout its 25 member states.
With the exception of assigning radio frequencies and numbers, the EU has replaced individual licences with a general authorization to provide all electronic communication networks and services under a new regulatory framework for electronic communications.
This new regulatory framework that entered into force in July 2003 is also technology neutral, and aims to be sufficiently flexible to deal with converging markets. The authorization rules lay down an administratively simple, light-touch procedure allowing companies to enter markets quickly.
But despite its flexibility, the new regulatory framework still requires constant evaluation and review, and this reports recommended such a review for EU before 2006, so as to further discuss issues related to authorization and convergence.
Already in Africa, Kenya and Tanzania are known to be in the process of introducing a converged licensing regime. While the introduction of more flexible and straightforward licensing regimes is clearly the trend today, regulators are nevertheless confronted with a large number of challenges and choices in their progress towards this ideal.
Beyond the adoption of a converged licensing model, issues such as spectrum management, the setting of licence fees, ensuring a level playing field and the pursuit of public policy goals, including universal access, also have to be dealt with as part of the process, and if left unchanged, the licensing process could be an obstacle to the development of a telecommunication market.
This symposium brought together the heads of 54 national regulatory authorities from both developed and developing countries, with representatives from 106 countries, attracting 350 participants, and has a reputation as the most important global venue for regulators to share views and experiences by fostering an open dialogue amongst themselves and with key stakeholders, including the private sector, investors and consumers.
This is coming at a time when a crop of Nigerian IT professionals is calling for a distinct IT ministry apart from what exists currently. Although, major contention here is the licensing authority ability to contend with the new era, which entails further empowering the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in the case of Nigeria.
Probably, for this desire by global regulators to take its root in the country, it requires an enlarged NCC with sub-directorates or commissions to represent different aspects of ICT services.
This is important in getting the nation ready for global competitiveness.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Nigeria's fate in biotechnology
Features of the week:
The science of biotechnology is a must for any nation wishing to be self sufficient, reports REMMY NWEKE.
It is estimated that 15 years from now, 50 per cent of the global economy will be bioeconomy-based, according to the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun. Prof Isoun stated this in an address to the 8th international conference of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), which held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State a fortnight ago.
What this means is that in 2020, any nation which does not align itself economically with biotechnology, will be unsung in yet another revolution.
Biotechnology, according to Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, is the manipulation of biological organisms to make products that benefit human beings.
Although biotechnology has been in existence for over 5,000 years Before Christ (B.C.), it is known as assorted breeds of plants or animals hybridized in scientific parlance as 'crossed' to produce greater genetic variety.
Then, the offspring of these crosses are selectively bred to produce the greatest available number of desired traits. According to Encarta, repeated cycles of selective breeding produced several present-day food staples, and have been deployed in the modern day food production programmes.
However, some achievements of biotechnology include the transfer of a certain gene from one organism to another by way of what experts say is applying a set of genetic engineering techniques, known as transgenics which is the maintenance and growth of genetically uniformed plant and animal-cell cultures, called clones today.
Also, the fusing of different types of cells to produce beneficial medical products such as monoclonal antibodies, Prof. Louis Levine of City College of New York, noted is often designed to attack a particular type of foreign substance.
Generally, genes, Commonwealth Biotechnologies Incorporated (CBI) said, are bits of biochemical instructions found inside the cells of every organism from bacteria of humans. As such, Prof. Levine noted, the offsprings receive a mixture of genetic information from both parents.
This information, he explained, is encoded and transmitted from generation to generation in Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), which is a coiled molecule organized into structures called chromosomes within cells. This segments along with the length of a DNA molecule form genes.
Historically, the modern era of biotechnology originated in 1953 when American biochemist, Mr. James Watson and British biophysicist, Mr. Francis Crick presented their double-helix model of DNA to the public.
Seven years later, it was followed by the discovery in 1960 of special enzymes known as restriction enzymes in bacteria by renowned Swiss microbiologist, Mr. Werner Arber, and in 1973, geneticist Stanley Cohen and biochemist, Mr. Herbert Boyer, both Americans, removed a specific gene from one bacterium and inserted it into another using restriction enzymes. This marked the beginning of recombinant DNA technology, commonly known as genetic engineering.
Prof. Levine also noted that in the 1960s, an important project used hybridization followed by selective breeding to increase food production and quality of wheat and rice crops. The American agriculturalist Norman Borlaug, head of the programme then, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 in recognition of the important contribution that increased the world's food supply made to the case of peace.
For Prof. Levine, biotechnology is applied in various fields such as in using it to create new biodegradable materials, made possible from the lactic acid produced during the bacterial fermentation of discarded corn stalks.
All these must have added to the import of what Prof. Isoun enthused at the NCS conference, where he noted that Nigeria as a nation is endowed with enormous bioresources across all its six main ecological zones, namely mangrove/swamp, rainforests, derived savannah, montane/plateau, savannah and semi-arid.
He said that what matters most is how we as a nation use the new Information Technology (IT) domain of bioinformatics to drive the growth and development of modern biotechnology in the country.
Piqued, the Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, lamented recent technological-economic survey of the chemicals and pharmaceutical sector of the nation's economy by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, which he described as revealing.
According to him, out of 476 indispensable raw materials currently needed by the pharmaceutical industry, for instance, in the country only 16 are locally sourced.
It also stated that Pioneer is expected to spend the next two years using their technology to fight hunger half way around the world and will soon commence work on the next generation of crops to feed people in Africa, otherwise known as 'sorgum' which experts said looks like corn grown in Iowa, United States.
According to the report, sorgum could grow anywhere including the desert which is known to have limited farming in parts of Africa, but the only problem associated with them, is that when cooked these tiny pieces of grain, sorgum, lose their nutritional value.
Though scientists at Pioneer said they have the solution by way of replacing a gene in the sorgum that will double the nutritional value, making it better for the people who eat it, even after it’s cooked.
Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda were fingered as the nations where this experiment would soon take place, even as Pioneer scientists intend to work with African scientists to bring the new technology back home with them.
For Mr. Eric Idehen, who left Nigeria over five years ago, "this kind of research could help lift the large majority of my country men living in poverty."
He stressed that Nigerians have the land to farm and want to work but most often do not have a crop worth growing. Even as experts from Pioneer hope to market the first generation of the enhanced Sorgum within a year, thus bridging the gap between the science of those who have and those who need it most.
For the immediate past president of Information Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Mr. Chris Uwaje, he agrees that biotechnology is important at this stage of our economic development and to humanity in entirety.
"Sure Bio-Technology is very, very important to mankind essentially due to the global population surge that has hit 6.4billion.
This challenges mankind to come up with accelerated techniques to establish and guarantee food security and enhance the life expectancy index," he asserted in exclusive chat with Champion Infotel.
No matter the attendant opinion this has generated among professionals since it was proclaimed, the fact is that this situation seems to prevent the incessant shortage of food in developing nations, most of which are in Africa.
This has become very important, mostly if the dream to be self-sustained in food production and to take care of the 150 million Nigerians would materialize in the near future, at least, before 2020.
Published in Daily Champion, July 7, 2005
The science of biotechnology is a must for any nation wishing to be self sufficient, reports REMMY NWEKE.
It is estimated that 15 years from now, 50 per cent of the global economy will be bioeconomy-based, according to the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner Isoun. Prof Isoun stated this in an address to the 8th international conference of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), which held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State a fortnight ago.
What this means is that in 2020, any nation which does not align itself economically with biotechnology, will be unsung in yet another revolution.
Biotechnology, according to Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, is the manipulation of biological organisms to make products that benefit human beings.
Thus, biotechnology contributes to such various areas
as food production, waste disposal, mining and medicine.
Although biotechnology has been in existence for over 5,000 years Before Christ (B.C.), it is known as assorted breeds of plants or animals hybridized in scientific parlance as 'crossed' to produce greater genetic variety.
Then, the offspring of these crosses are selectively bred to produce the greatest available number of desired traits. According to Encarta, repeated cycles of selective breeding produced several present-day food staples, and have been deployed in the modern day food production programmes.
Locally, this kind of technology could be described as
advanced 'fertilizer' science programme, which is a substance that is put in the land to make crops grow optimally.
However, some achievements of biotechnology include the transfer of a certain gene from one organism to another by way of what experts say is applying a set of genetic engineering techniques, known as transgenics which is the maintenance and growth of genetically uniformed plant and animal-cell cultures, called clones today.
Also, the fusing of different types of cells to produce beneficial medical products such as monoclonal antibodies, Prof. Louis Levine of City College of New York, noted is often designed to attack a particular type of foreign substance.
Generally, genes, Commonwealth Biotechnologies Incorporated (CBI) said, are bits of biochemical instructions found inside the cells of every organism from bacteria of humans. As such, Prof. Levine noted, the offsprings receive a mixture of genetic information from both parents.
This information, he explained, is encoded and transmitted from generation to generation in Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), which is a coiled molecule organized into structures called chromosomes within cells. This segments along with the length of a DNA molecule form genes.
Therefore, in agriculture, genetic advances enable scientists to alter a plant or animal to make it more
useful, according to Encarta. Hence, this has evolutionized the way industries produce certain substances, many of which formerly required costly and arduous manufacturing methods.
Historically, the modern era of biotechnology originated in 1953 when American biochemist, Mr. James Watson and British biophysicist, Mr. Francis Crick presented their double-helix model of DNA to the public.
Seven years later, it was followed by the discovery in 1960 of special enzymes known as restriction enzymes in bacteria by renowned Swiss microbiologist, Mr. Werner Arber, and in 1973, geneticist Stanley Cohen and biochemist, Mr. Herbert Boyer, both Americans, removed a specific gene from one bacterium and inserted it into another using restriction enzymes. This marked the beginning of recombinant DNA technology, commonly known as genetic engineering.
Prof. Levine also noted that in the 1960s, an important project used hybridization followed by selective breeding to increase food production and quality of wheat and rice crops. The American agriculturalist Norman Borlaug, head of the programme then, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 in recognition of the important contribution that increased the world's food supply made to the case of peace.
For Prof. Levine, biotechnology is applied in various fields such as in using it to create new biodegradable materials, made possible from the lactic acid produced during the bacterial fermentation of discarded corn stalks.
This example indicates that when individual lactic acid
molecules are joined chemically, they form a material that has the properties of plastics but is biodegradable, even as this has since spread into the mining industry.
All these must have added to the import of what Prof. Isoun enthused at the NCS conference, where he noted that Nigeria as a nation is endowed with enormous bioresources across all its six main ecological zones, namely mangrove/swamp, rainforests, derived savannah, montane/plateau, savannah and semi-arid.
He said that what matters most is how we as a nation use the new Information Technology (IT) domain of bioinformatics to drive the growth and development of modern biotechnology in the country.
Piqued, the Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, lamented recent technological-economic survey of the chemicals and pharmaceutical sector of the nation's economy by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, which he described as revealing.
According to him, out of 476 indispensable raw materials currently needed by the pharmaceutical industry, for instance, in the country only 16 are locally sourced.
"What a pity! IT capacity building could bridge this huge gap by using data mining in knowledge-based economy," heJust last weekend, news report had it that founder of Microsoft, Mr. Bill Gates, announced a grant of over $400 million to Pioneer Hybrid for use in improving health in developing countries.
asserted.
It also stated that Pioneer is expected to spend the next two years using their technology to fight hunger half way around the world and will soon commence work on the next generation of crops to feed people in Africa, otherwise known as 'sorgum' which experts said looks like corn grown in Iowa, United States.
According to the report, sorgum could grow anywhere including the desert which is known to have limited farming in parts of Africa, but the only problem associated with them, is that when cooked these tiny pieces of grain, sorgum, lose their nutritional value.
Though scientists at Pioneer said they have the solution by way of replacing a gene in the sorgum that will double the nutritional value, making it better for the people who eat it, even after it’s cooked.
Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda were fingered as the nations where this experiment would soon take place, even as Pioneer scientists intend to work with African scientists to bring the new technology back home with them.
For Mr. Eric Idehen, who left Nigeria over five years ago, "this kind of research could help lift the large majority of my country men living in poverty."
He stressed that Nigerians have the land to farm and want to work but most often do not have a crop worth growing. Even as experts from Pioneer hope to market the first generation of the enhanced Sorgum within a year, thus bridging the gap between the science of those who have and those who need it most.
For the immediate past president of Information Technology Industry Association of Nigeria (ITAN), Mr. Chris Uwaje, he agrees that biotechnology is important at this stage of our economic development and to humanity in entirety.
"Sure Bio-Technology is very, very important to mankind essentially due to the global population surge that has hit 6.4billion.
This challenges mankind to come up with accelerated techniques to establish and guarantee food security and enhance the life expectancy index," he asserted in exclusive chat with Champion Infotel.
No matter the attendant opinion this has generated among professionals since it was proclaimed, the fact is that this situation seems to prevent the incessant shortage of food in developing nations, most of which are in Africa.
So, the earlier the continent and Nigeria particularly
realize this essence, and embrace bio-technology in all ramification, the better for the proposed exportation of stable food crops by the government and the plan to diversify cassava for the making of bread in the country, a realty.
This has become very important, mostly if the dream to be self-sustained in food production and to take care of the 150 million Nigerians would materialize in the near future, at least, before 2020.
Published in Daily Champion, July 7, 2005
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