By Obiabin Onukwugha
Civil Society Organisations (CSO), Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance, have called for improved support for smallholder farmers to enable them contribute to food security and solve hunger problems in Nigeria.
The CSOs also insisted on the total ban of genetically modified crops (GMOs) in the country and proper remediation of oil polluted soils in the Niger Delta and other mining impacted communities across Nigeria.
The demands are contained in a Communique issued by the bodied arising from the recently National Conference on GMOs and Biosafety in Nigeria, with the theme: “Beyond the Propaganda: Unveiling the Truth About GMOs” organised by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in collaboration with GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance.
The bodies in the communiqué, stated that the Multi-Stakeholder National Conference cohesively addressed the various concerns regarding biosafety and in particular GMOs, reviewed the experience so far; and came up with clear resolutions regarding their release and use as well as solutions for food sovereignty in Nigeria.
The communiqué, which was made available to NatureNews on Wednesday, by HOMEF Communications Officer, Kome Odhomor, noted that GMO technology is dominated by only four companies, who control 60 per cent of the global seed supply viz: Bayer (merged with Monsanto), Corteva, ChemChina and Limagrain. “These companies engage in the development and patenting of genetically modified (GM) seeds, also known as genetically modified organisms (GMOs),” the communique read in part.
The communiqué also noted that there is significant linkage of consumption of GMOs with several health and environmental implications including cancers, mental health disorders, immune disorders as well as loss of nutritional and biological diversity.
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“The Nigerian people – farmers, researchers, civil society organizations, faith-based organisations, academia, women and youth demand an outright ban on GMOs and a preservation of Nigeria’s indigenous seeds and food system.
“The National Conference demands that the National Biosafety Management Agency be urgently reviewed to address existing loopholes including the conflictive composition of the NBMA Board, absence of provision on strict liability, poor attention to the precautionary principle, the discretionary provision on risk assessment, power to receive gifts, etc.
“The NBMA should produce for peer review, results of risk assessments conducted prior to the approval and commercial release of GMOs in Nigeria.
“The Nigerian Government should ensure improved support for smallholder farmers who are actually feeding the country. This should include reviving the extension service system across all local governments; increased provision of infrastructure (to reduce post harvest losses); addressing insecurity (to allow farmers return to farms); ensuring better access to credit and to land; and proper remediation of oil polluted soils (in the Niger Delta and other mining impacted communities).
“The House of Representatives Committees on Agriculture and Services; on Health and on Environment should ensure an independent and long-term research on GMOs and biosafety as was announced in May 2024.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security should invest in and promote the adoption of an Agroecological system of farming which is proven to assure increased food productivity, diversify income for farmers, recover degraded soils, increase biological and nutritional diversity, mitigate climate change and its impact and ensure food sovereignty for Nigeria.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food security should also promote the set up of markets for organic/agroecological food products in Nigeria,” the communiqué read.
