Reps call for suspension of GMOs in Nigeria

The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to suspend the commercialisation of Genetically Modified (GMO) crops in Nigeria amid concerns over food and environmental safety.

The decision of the House was made known Thursday following the adoption of a motion on the need to investigate the introduction of GMO crops in Nigeria.

The motion was moved at the plenary by Muktar Shagaya (APC-Kwara).

The House mandated that its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services conduct a comprehensive investigation into GMO introduction in Nigeria by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).

It also mandated the committee to assess the potential health and environmental risks associated with GM crops and report back within four weeks.

“The Green Chamber also called on the federal government to suspend the introduction of new genetically modified crops until an investigation by its Committee on Agricultural Production and Services is completed and the findings are made public,” the House motion read.

GMO in Nigeria

Genetically modified crops (commonly referred to as GM crops) are plants used in agriculture, whose DNA has been modified using genetic engineering methods.

In most cases, the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species. Food crops for example can be genetically engineered to be resistant to certain pests, diseases, environmental conditions, reduction of spoilage, chemical treatments (e.g. resistance to a herbicide), or just to improve the nutrient profile of the crop.

Over the past decade, the adoption of GM seeds by crop farmers has been a subject of intense debate among scientists, environmentalists and even food activists in Nigeria and globally.

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Some environmentalists have argued that the move to commercialise GM seeds would have far-reaching consequences in Nigeria and across Africa.

Aside from health and environmental concerns, critics of GMO technology in Nigeria say it violates the principles of “food sovereignty”.

This is because the seeds are often patent-locked and privatised, which could weaken the position of African farmers and communities, and also enhance the depletion of indigenous/conventional seed banks in the continent.

By implication, farmers across Nigeria and Africa at large would have to depend on the GM seed manufacturers for seeds to grow some of the crops annually, they argue.

Meanwhile, one of PREMIUM TIMES’ investigations in 2022 revealed that while promoters of GMOs are working to counter criticisms and reassure safety, these concerns are not the only challenge hindering the implementation of GM crops in Nigeria. Farmers as well as citizens across the country know too little to make informed decisions on GM crop consumption, it found.

But despite these concerns, the federal government, in January, approved the commercial release of four “Tela maize” varieties for commercial planting in the country.

The move placed Nigeria second in the list of African countries that have adopted and commercialised the “T maize” varieties after South Africa, a report published in February, by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) noted.

According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), at least 33 major food crops have been genetically modified globally. Of these, four (maize, cowpea, cotton and soybean) have been officially approved for commercialisation by the Nigerian authorities, with Nigeria listed among the six African countries leading in biotech crop adoption across the continent.

Prayers

On Thursday, members of the House of Representatives urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to cause the already introduced GM foods and crops in Nigeria to be properly labelled to safeguard consumers.

While moving the motion, Mr Shagaya explained that genetically modified crops, commonly referred to as GM Crops, are plants used for agricultural purposes whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering methods.

He said the recent introduction of genetically modified crops in Nigeria has raised serious questions mostly about safety, regulatory oversight and the potential impact on the country’s biosafety and ecosystem.

The lawmaker noted that genetically modified foods could be created to contain almost anything, including genes which have higher levels of toxicity and negative long-term effects on human health.

He emphasised that introducing these crops ( GMO) has led to public outcries amidst serious concerns regarding the potential risks GM crops might pose to human health, environmental degradation, and food security.

Additionally, Mr Shagaya explained that the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has been accused of approving the introduction of GM crops into Nigeria without following due process and scientific protocols.

He expressed worry that GM crops are being introduced into Nigeria at a time when the said crops have been banned in several countries like France, Russia, Germany, China, India, and a host of other countries in Europe due to safety concerns;

The lawmaker also lamented that GMO crops’ long-term impact on human health remains uncertain, prompting precautionary measures due to potential health risks including cancer, antibiotic resistance, allergic reactions, and reproductive issues;

Mr Shagaya expressed worry that the introduction of GM crops into the country could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s food security, potentially transferring control to foreign biotechnology companies which are primarily driven by profit and cost reduction;

He said there was a need to prioritise public health, biodiversity, and traditional farming practices due to uncertainties surrounding the long-term impact of GMOs on health, environment, and food security.

In Nigeria, GMO debates have created two distinctive divides dubbed as “pro and anti” GMO groups.

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The National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NABDA), an agency established under Nigeria’s Ministry of Science and Technology to promote, implement, and coordinate biotechnology and GMO development – and the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB), an advocacy arm of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) – are working to change the public’s negative perception and increase positive awareness of GM products.

Meanwhile, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria and several other civil societies, are at the forefront of criticisms against the technology for safety concerns.

When contacted for comment on Thursday, Rose Gidado, director of OFAB described the move by the Reps as political.

“This is politics,” said Mrs Gidado, in a terse response to this medium.

On her part, the Head of the Information and Communication unit of the NBMA, Gloria Ogbaki, said the agency is still reviewing the situation and that its position would be made known to the public soon.