chidi Nduka Aja

By Chidi Aja Development economists agree that research is the engine room of development. According to them, no nation can grow without the application of science, technology and innovation to respond to emerging socio-economic challenges. There is no gain saying that research and development (R&D) has remained the bedrock of any self-reliant nationa l economy. Indeed, statistics have shown that countries with high research index are higher in development. In other words, a country’s development rate is increased by the quantum of its research. For instance, research, innovation and enterprise are essential in shaping the Singaporean economy. To accelerate Singapore’s thrust towards an inventive, innovative and entrepreneurial economy; the National Research Foundation (NRF) works with selected elite international research universities to establish a number of world-class research centres in Singapore which have intensive research collaboration with Singapore-based...

…known to have anti-cancerous activity …potential to reduce stroke risk Chidi Aja Many people know that tomato has health benefits but how many people know that tomato has the potential to reduce stroke and more? Indeed, tomato ( Lycopersicum esculentum ), a staple fruit vegetable has become an important cash and industrial crop in many parts of the world with important health benefits.   In Nigeria, an annual total area of one million hectares is reportedly used for its cultivation while it makes up about 18 per cent of the average daily consumption of vegetables in Nigeria homes. Nigeria is ranked second largest producer of tomato in Africa and thirteenth largest in the world producing 1.701 million tonnes of tomato annually at an average of 25-30 tonnes per hectare. Tomato is grown in many parts of Nigeria both as wet and dry season crops. Although most tomato production is on a small scale in backyard gardens, it is grown in commercial quantities in many states...