By Femi Akinola
Given the current state of climate change, its devastating effects and the looming threat to food security in Nigeria, it’s worth pondering whether outright condemnation and opposition to Genetic Modified Organisms (GMO) crops is a good idea.
It is surprising that despite the myraid benefits as listed by the Nigerian Biosafety Agency (NBMA) which include higher yields, resistance to pests and diseases, enhanced food security, improved nutritionl value, adaptability to challenging conditions, positive economic and environmental effects, and reduced food waste,there is so much resistance to it in certain quarters in Nigeria.
In the last couple of days, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Biosfety Management Agency (MBMA), have ‘clashed’ over the safety of the GMOs and food products in Nigeria.
The NAFDAC boss, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye was quoted as saying ”We, don’t have evidence that GMOs food are safe for human consumption” while on a live talk programme on a local television station.
She was also quoted saying GMOs could be used for non-food crops, including to make sure that timber grows better for furniture and rubber plantation but not for human consumption.
In a swift response to Prof. Adeyeye’s submission on GMO foods, the Director General NBMA, Dr. Agnes Yemisi Asagbra described NAFDAC leader’s comment as troubling.
”It is completely misleading for the Director General of NAFDAC to categorically state on a National Television that GMOs are not safe, having admitted that her agency has not carried out research, do not have the competency and of course, do not have the mandate to carry out any study to determine GMOs safety.”
Findings into GMOs around the world showed that the subject is indeed a topic of continue scientific research and debate. As of today, there is no concrete evidence yet anywhere across the world stating that GMO crops pose any harm to human health or the environment.
For example, Bangladesh is a country in South Asia. It was a densely populated like Nigeria. This is a country where GMO crops hve been commercially cultivated but stopped abruptly due to criticism from different quaters just like TELA Maize is now generating mixed feelings among Nigerians.
Bangladesh made history in 2014 as the first nation in South Asia to harvest GMO food crops, with farmers cultivating Bt Brinjal. Though there was strong opposition to it as it was currently with TELA Maize adopted by the Nigerian Government.
Some of the commitments made during the introduction such as field-level monitoring, ethical marketing and others were not followed through and its adoption was not successful. Thereafter, Bangladesh started the cultivation of Bt Cotton for the first time in 2023.
Just some months ago, it appeared that Bangladesh was close to approving the cultivation of ‘Golden Rice’ as well, when officials from Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) met with Bangladesh Agriculture Minister, Abdus Shaheed, to seek his support. Shaheed assured them of special initiatives to facilitate the approval process.
The ‘Golden Rice’ variety was developed and selected by the BRRI and IRRI through genetic engineering by inserting maize genes into the BRRI-dhan -29 rice variety. It contains beta-crotene, which could combat the vitamin-A deficiency prevlent in developing countries like Bangladesh.
While this new variety received food safety approvals from regulators in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and Phillipines became the first country to approve its commercial production, which kicked off in October 2022. In the first three months of cultivation, Phillipines achieved a harvest of over 100 tons of Golden Rice across 17 pioneer production sites nationwide.
This showcase the potential for enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability. This success story was being cited in Bangladesh to advocate for the approval of Golden Rice in the country. But, the development faced a significant setback last month when a court in the Phillipines ruled against the commercial production of Golden Rice due to safety concerns. This ruling also extended to Bt Brinjal.
The Phillipines court ruled that due to the lack of scientific consensus on the safety of Golden Rice, it should not be commercially cultivated. The judge determined that ”according to the nation’s constitution, the government is obliged to adhere to the precautionary principle.”
Hence, in Phillipines, commericial propagation of Golden Rice is not allowed until the government agency mandated with the responsibility of determining what food is suitable for consumption in the country submit proof of safety and compliance with all legal requirements.
Consequently, the approval of Golden Rice in Bangladesh, which have been under regulatory review since November 2017, has become uncertain, while the cultivation of other GMO crops is also being questioned by environment and food safety activists.
However, peer-reviewed publications on Golden Rice biosafety data demonstrated that the rice is as safe as ordinary rice, with added benefit of beta-carotene in the grain, which offers a potent and cost effective strategy to combat vitamin-A deficiency (VAD).
Notably, some of the studies were backed by global GMO companies like Syngenta, a global agricultural company that develop and sells seed, pesticides, and other agronomical products, and was involved in the development of the Golden Rice through its collaboration with the IRRI.
Nevertheless, the same verdict was issued by Food Standard Australia and New Zealand on February 22, 2018, Health Canada on March 6, 2018, the United States Food and Drug Administration on May 24, 2018 and Department of Agrculture Bureau of Plant Industry on December 19, 2019.
These raises questions about whether the decision to stall the production or approval of Golden Rice can really be justified, instead of acknowledging it as a viable path forward to ensure food security and address future agricultural chllenges in the South Asian country.
It is ironic that while Phillipines, a rice producing country where the IRRI is situated, has stopped cultivation Golden Rice, and Bangladesh was close to approving the cultivation of ‘Golden Rice’ as well, having started the cultivation of a GMO crop (Bt Cotton), the non-rice producing countries ans developed nations such as Canada, US and Australia gave clearance to mass cultivation of Golden Rice, a GMO crop.
In addition, a study at the University of California, United States, actually discovered that soybean oil, commonly consumed in the US, might cause genetic alteration in the brain.
However, it was discovered that the findings were derived from research conducted on a mice. Therefore, it’s certain if the same effects would occur in humans.
Giving the scientific checks on GMOs in other countries particularly the developed nations, Nigerians may have little to worry about with cultivation of TELA Maize. But, independent researchers still need to review and evaluate its varieties to ensure they are safe, beyond the assurance given by the National Biosfety Management Agency (MBMA).
In the meantime, it may interest the Nigerian public to know that TELA Maize is not Nigeria’s first GMO foodto be cultivated. Checks revealed that in 2019, after almost a decade of research, Nigeria commercialized a locally modified Cowpea that resist borers. Today, Nigeria is one of the world’s largest Cowpea producers.
This is an indicator that despite criticism against mass cultivation of TELA Maize, it may likely be one of the way forward for food security in Nigeria. Though due to lack of scientific consensus on the seed safety like the Golden Rice in Bangladesh and Philipines, commercial cultivation of TELA Maize should be put on hold till NAFDAC and other critics GMO crops conduct further research into safety of the modified maize.
In addition, the National Biosfety Management Agency too need to supply additional convincing proofs of suitability of TELA Maize for human consumption and go beyond claiming it was the only agency legally constituted and established to regulate the approval and safe use of all genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country.
