The Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Prof. Garba Sharubutu, has reiterated the safety of genetically modified crops released by the Federal Government.
He said this, Thursday, while heading a delegation of the coalition made up of Nigeria’s agricultural research system of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency, National Agricultural Seed Council, National Agricultural Quarantine Service, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, and National Biosafety Management Agency, NBMA, to a press conference in Abuja.
The focal agency, which is owned by the Government for the regulation of the GMOs, has clearly agreed in line with the safe and beneficiary genetically modified crops.
The stand by the coalition follows a recent media campaign in the country against GM technology. It pointed out that the campaigns were aimed at making the country a dumping ground for GMOs produced in other countries mainly, which went contrary to the huge manpower available in the country.
He said the ARCN was charged with the responsibility of advising the Federal Government of Nigeria on national policies and priorities in agricultural research, training, and extension activities. This includes biotechnology research in agriculture, aimed at bettering plants and breeding animals for enhanced productivity and increased food security in the country, according to Professor Sharubutu.
“Research Institutes have the mandate for genetic improvement of all staple and cash crops, livestock, and fisheries. In achieving these mandates, applying agricultural biotechnology in their research activity offers a novel way to develop crop varieties and livestock breeds that are resilient to stresses arising from impact of climate change and the quest to increase crop productivity by addressing farming problems,” he said.
Furthermore, he added that biotechnology has been successfully applied to raise productivity in corn, soybean, and cotton, standing insect pests and drought in parts of the world including USA, Europe, Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa.
According to an address by the Director General of NABRDA, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, the introduction of TELA Maize has again brought up the controversy on the safety of the GMO plants to human and environmental health in Nigeria and has been enmeshed in controversy, misinformation, and misunderstanding.
“This has resulted in the instillation of widespread fear and scepticism amongst members of society. The purpose of our event is to offset any concerns within the public mind, clear misconceptions about this technology, and easier qualify to the nation the substantiated veracity and benefits of the utilization of GMOs.”.
“GMOs represent a pivotal improvement in the field of biotechnology. It harbors a great number of benefits that extend to agriculture production, food security, health, industry, and the environment. Many of them, genetically modified organisms, open up potential ways of solving catastrophes or serious problems that now beset the world with respect to such issues as food, malnutrition, and environmental sustainability.”.
“Through genetic engineering, scientists and researchers in Nigeria have innovated crops that are resilient to pests, diseases, and adverse climatic conditions to ensure much-needed security for the food commodity. These include Bt Cowpea, Bt Cotton, and newly released Tela Maize, among other food commodities, for current and future generations,” he said further.
According to Professor Abdullahi, with the adoption and adaptation of genetically modified crops, food security could be enhanced for Nigerians, crop yields increased, and harmful pesticide use reduced. It is time to get past this fear and skepticism of GMOs and to heed this new frontier technology for the good of all Nigerians.
On the question of safety, the Director General of NBMA, Dr. Agnes Yemisi Asagbra, responded that the NBMA remained irrevocably committed to the responsible regulation and safety of the GMOs in Nigeria.
“NBMA is the only institutional agency on matters of Biosafety within Nigeria. We enforce standards, guidelines, and procedures of Risk Assessment on the GMOs. Our commitment is entrenched in the National Biosafety Management Agency Act and its regulations.”.
“While concerns exist about the long-term effects, the current scientific consensus supports that GMO foods approved for consumption in Nigeria are safe. This is based on rigorous risk assessment exercise that informs our decisions.”.
“Before any approvals are granted for any GMO, rigorous risk assessments are conducted by NBMA. The assessments include potential risks to human health, the environment, and biodiversity. This involves scientific experts that analyze data, conduct experiments, and check on the safety of the GMO in question. Allergenicity, toxicity, form unintended effects resulting from the genetic modification process that the NBMA considers while arriving at a decision,” she noted.
According to her, public enlightenment on biosafety, especially as related to the safety of humans, plants, and preservation of biodiversity in Nigeria, was very prominent by the NBMA.
The Acting Director General of the National Agricultural Seeds Council, NASC, Dr Kahild Ishiak, dismissed insinuations relating to the viability and safety of GMO seeds.
He said, “seeds from GM materials that are bred in Nigeria can be replanted,” arguing the notion by some people that seeds from harvested GM materials cannot be replanted.
“But similar to the case of conventional seeds, we have always encouraged farmers to purchase new seeds for maximum yield increase. Indeed, planting of the off-spring or farmer’s safe seeds from harvested materials may result to yield low by about 10-15% and up to as much as 25% in some cases.”
According to the President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Architect Kabiru Ibrahim, the attack on GMOs in the country is not in the interest of farmers in Nigeria.