By George George Idowu
As the controversies surrounding the Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) continue, the CEO of BFA Food and Health Group, Dr. Jackie Ikeotuonye has said that GMO is not the solution to the food insecurity ravaging the country as the government has alluded.
She disclosed this on Wednesday during a media training organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation in conjecture with the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa in Abuja.
Dr. Ikeotuonye who spoke on the topic “Food system challenges in Nigeria and the way forward” alleged that the agency advocating for the use of GMO have not provide any empirical evidence to back up their claims that it is safe for consumption. Hence, she asked the bodies responsible for providing their research on that.
She said GMO right from time in memorial has been declared not safe for consumption.
According to her, GMO have a significant impact on the health of people. In fact, she said it is one of the causes of most chronic illness currently.
In her words: “We are at war as it regards to the food sector. We are what we eat. Something has gone wrong with our food.
“Control the food, and you control the people. GMO is not the solution to food insecurity.
“Our problem in Nigeria is not lack of food but the access to it. Money should be spent more on the fundamental issue of accessibility and not on some modified foods.
“Say no to rubbish foods,” she added.
Dr. Ikeotuonye cited when then the DG of NAFDAC stated that GMO is not safe for consumption.
She added that if the head of the body charged with the safety of the things we eat can say GMO is not safe why then should some set of agencies be saying other words.
She, however, applauded the initiative the first lady had started about encouraging women to farm in their backyard, which she said should be continued as is the way forward.
Similarly, Mrs Hauwa Mustapha, who spoke on “Food security from the farmers’ perspective”, highlighted some of the challenges farmers are passing through.
According to her, the high cost of chemical fertilizer, lack of alternatives, insufficient of relevant information, poor storage facilities, amongst other things.
Mrs Mustapha however listed some ways of solving these issues and they include; the narrative of what the farmers believe and know be changed, consumption for the people should be the issue at the forefront not exporting, the knowledge and ideas of these farmers should not be ignored.
In the same vein, Coordinator in Alliance for Action on Pesticide in Nigeria (AAPN), Ikenna Donald said globally no country has been able to achieve food security as a result of GMO and there’s no need for Nigeria to go through that path.
According to him, 38 countries have banned GMO, and out of the 38, 19 are from european countries.
He advised that organic farming, inter cropping farming, and ranching should be focused more on as it will help to tackle food security. He said, “GMO should not be for food consumption.”
On the part of Mariann Bassey, food sovereignty should be the focus and not even food security. According to her, food security is the availability of food to just satisfy hunger, while food sovereignty means eating healthy and good food.