Mixed reactions have trailed the recent release of TELA Maize along with 22 other new varieties aimed at achieving food sufficiency in Nigeria. The crop varieties were released at the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the 33rd meeting of National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries.
TELA maize is said to be a transgenic insect-resistant and drought-tolerant variety along with other high-yielding crop varieties. While some stakeholders have commended this move stating that it would tackle the food insecurity challenge of the country, others are of the opinion that it should not be encouraged. The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), while commending the intention of the Federal Government to address food insufficiency in Nigeria, expressed disappointment over the release of the genetically modified varieties. HOMEF noted that there is no evidence of a risk assessment conducted before the release of the TELA Maize on either the website of the National Biosafety Management Agency or the Biosafety Clearing House of the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity where parties are expected to upload updates on their decisions on the use of GMOs/LMOs.
The Executive Director of HOMEF, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey said that it was totally unacceptable that in the name of food sufficiency, the country was exposing its citizens to products of risky technologies without adequate, independent and/or long-term assessment on their impacts on human and environmental health. He said that there were many challenges associated with genetic modification crops that cannot be denied. “So far, GMOs have been linked to cancers, diseases, allergies, and all sorts of health challenges due to environmental implications because of their dependency on toxic pesticides and the destruction of biodiversity and nutritional diversity. We are also concerned that there is no way to label or inform our farmers that they are planting GMO maize. To deny Nigerians the right of choice is highly objectionable and wicked”.
Bassey stated that it is expedient that the government conducts independent long-term feeding tests and environmental/biodiversity assessments before any GM crop is approved for use and not merely testing to confirm productivity or performance. He charged the Nigerian government to understand the difficulties of recalling genetically modified living organisms and to quickly withdraw the TELA Maize. HOMEF’s Director of Programmes and Project Lead for Hunger Politics, Joyce Brown, said that Nigeria do not need GMOs to feed its population. “Our farmers have selected and preserved seeds, crops, and animal varieties over the centuries. They have kept a stock of varieties that both provide food and meet our medicinal and other needs. They kept the norms that preserved biodiversity”, saying introducing the open cultivation and commercial release of the TELA maize is an outright danger to the lives and livelihood of our farmers.
“What is of utmost importance is enhancing the health of our soils, which ensures their resilience to environmental stressors; building biodiversity instead of encouraging mono-cultures, which help pests to thrive; and supporting farmers with needed access to credits, land, infrastructure, and access to markets. Of the 23 new crop varieties released, 12 are varieties of the TELA Maize, genetically modified. In order words what the country is celebrating, is the flooding of our agriculture system with product of a risky technology that promotes monoculture and does not necessarily lead to higher productivity than local varieties for the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) did not state if the other varieties were also products of genetic engineering, HOMEF added.
“Nigerians deserve adequate and accurate information on what is going on with their food. It is, however, ironical that a centre that prides itself in its commitment to the conservation of the rich genetic resources of the nation is the same in charge of approving the release of genetically modified varieties with serious potential to contaminate our local varieties in an irreversible manner:, the group alleged. The Director, Network of Women and Youth in Agriculture, Lovelyn Ejim, charged other farmers to have a united front and reject the approval. “It is important for farmers to also speak in a united voice. Allowing GMOs to take over our food system is like going back to slavery. We should not allow the big guys to use unfounded terms and unrealistic promises to derail us”, she said.
The Director, Agricultural Biotechnology Department, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Dr. Rose Gidado, said Nigerian agriculture is vulnerable to climate change and its associated occurrences of higher temperatures, extended droughts, floods, and other circumstances, reducing agricultural production across the country, particularly in the northern states. She said the use of biotechnology tools in Nigerian agriculture is now necessary due to the current state of emergency in the country’s food and agriculture sector, stating that to date, no evidence of safety or health risks had been linked to the two commercial biotech crops, cotton and Pod-borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea, which are already available on the market.
“Biotechnology offers new tools for increasing agricultural productivity and protecting food crops from climate changes such as heat, floods, and drought”, she said. The Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NABDA, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, said biotechnology is a transformative field that has the potential to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the nation and the world at large. He said agricultural biotechnology must be understood, accepted, and embraced by the general public, stressing that it is a collective responsibility to guarantee that all Nigerians have access to accurate and fair information concerning agricultural biotechnology, which will enable them to make informed decisions about its applications. The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Agnes Asagbra, emphasised that modern biotechnology had advanced quickly; creating new regulatory requirements that must be met in order to protect human health and the environment while utilising the potential that biotechnology presents to the country.
According to her, in order to address the various global and national concerns and challenges in the fields of human health, agriculture, environment, and industry, modern biotechnology application inside a legal framework can be a beneficial instrument., saying “The National Biosafety Management Agency is well positioned to, among others, ensure safety in the use of modern biotechnology by providing a holistic approach in the regulation of genetically modified organisms as well as ensure biosecurity”. Speaking further, she said that NBMA had accredited eight institutions for modern biotechnology practice; approved 14 GMOs for confined field trials in Nigeria; approved three GM crops for commercial/general release; granted permits for importation of 13 GM crops for feed and food processing.
She noted that NBMA conducts periodic monitoring of dealings with any GM product. The Communication Officer, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Alex Abutu, said that agricultural biotechnology is more than just a buzzword, but a crucial tool in helping feed the world’s growing population. According to him, with the global population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the world needs all the help it can get to ensure that everyone has enough to eat. “That is where agricultural biotechnology comes in. By using genetic engineering techniques, scientists can develop crops that are more resistant to pests and disease, have a longer shelf life, and are more nutritious. For example, a genetically modified strain of rice called golden rice has been developed to combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. This rice contains beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, and could potentially save millions of lives.
“Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to revolutionise crop yields by making plants more resistant to pests and disease. Through genetic modification, scientists can develop crops that are naturally resistant to certain types of insects and diseases, reducing the need for harmful pesticides and herbicides. This not only benefits the environment, but also improves the health and safety of the food we eat”, he said. The National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kabir Ibrahim informed that the GM crops are only released commercially when the biosafety agency gives clearance. He said that the talk about risks or safety by ANTIs seems like a distraction because it is not supported by scientific evidence, saying “there is no nexus between GM crops and any disease whatsoever”.
