Category: Agriculture

Nigeria’s population is currently over 200 million. It is growing at a rate of over three percent annually, making it the most populated country in Africa. The population is expected to rise to 250 million by the year 2025. The ever-increasing population has given rise to the problem of food security.

Associated with the rise in population, therefore, is the inevitable challenge of ensuring that enough food is made available to Nigerians at affordable prices. Essential to achieving this overwhelming challenge are sustainable advances in agricultural production. In particular, there is a need to enhance productivity of stable food crops that are the daily food of an overwhelming majority of Nigerians.

Scientists are continuously confronted with the challenge to develop and introduce new production methodologies to enhance quality, productivity and pest resistance of the food that we eat. The introduction of new agricultural or other technologies to the farming community is an important concern to all stakeholders. These stakeholder categories include the government, the research community, the private sector, civil society organizations, farmers, and consumers. They are all involved in the decision-making process that relates to whether new technologies are developed, tested, and shared with the scientific community and whether they are eventually adopted by the target users, the farmers, and the agrifood community.

Biotechnology or genetic engineering is the manipulation of an organism’s genetic endowment by introducing or eliminating specific genes through modern molecular biology techniques. It involves changing an organism to preserve the basic characteristics of the recipient with respect to human health, environment, and biodiversity. Genetically modified (GM) crops have been the main focus and rationale for the adoption of biotechnology. The ability to transfer genetic material from one organism to another through biotechnology has changed the agricultural landscape. In developing countries, this technique offers improvements in food security, foreign exchange conservation, export diversification, and the reduction of poverty through employment creation along the biotechnology value chain.

Globally, millions of farmers use biotechnology crops because they are an essential contributor to sustainable agriculture and food security. GM crops provide direct significant positive contributions both in terms of socio-economic and environmental benefits.

Nigerian farmers are not different. Following the alarm raised by civil societies organisations and other armed chair critics on the safety of genetically modified crops, practicing farmers in the country took to the media houses to demand for the technology and stated the need for government to properly fund research institutions across the country to develop more GM crops for the people.

The National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Kabiru Ibrahim, is optimistic that the country can achieve food security faster if it embraces the use of Genetically Modified crops.

His remarks come amid renewed debate over the safety of GMO plants on human and environmental health in Nigeria. “The advantage is that it would even take farmers out of poverty. We launched the PBR cowpea in Alausa in Lagos State, two years ago. Akara and Moi Moi were made with it and people came and ate and we also ate out of it and we are healthy,” the AFAN president said.

Existing evidence should be sufficient to conclude that there are real and important benefits derived from biotechnology in terms of both producer and production impacts. The combination of actual performance for each biotech-modified crop and the specific contexts within which they are deployed provides strong evidence that the adoption of biotech crops has contributed to improvements in farm production for millions of farmers.

Many of them use the same technology attributes that scientists envisaged at the beginning of the molecular biology revolution, enabling precise and predictable improvement traits such as genetic quality and resistance to herbicides, pests, and drought, ultimately increasing yield. The profound impact of the global cultivation of biotech crops over the previous 16 years consolidates the findings of the earlier Woodward Economic Survey of Field Crop Technology and structure that highlights the significant benefits of biotech crops to farmers and extends the benefits to the environment.

Chief Daniel Okafor, AFAN Vice President (Roots and Tuber), said that farmers are ready to embrace the planting of GMO seeds for surplus food productions to stem down food shortage in the country pointing there is need for farmers to grow beyond subsistence level through an efficient support system that gets to farmers, but not to individual pockets.

“Our stand is that biotechnology seeds are bred to add value to our agriculture. Our crops are facing so many challenges such as: poor yield, pest/disease infestation, drought, weather variation and the rest.

Biotech seeds are meant to address these debilitating issues, and to ensure bumper harvest for farmers. I recommend the seeds to our farmers and advocate for a step down training workshop to enable us to sensitize them and disabuse their minds of any negative conception regarding the seeds.

The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has told us that the seeds are very safe and there is no competent medical research or laboratory technology which has any proven evidence of any negative or harmful effect to the body. Step down training and awareness creation for Nigerian farmers to understand the safety and benefits of biotech seeds. As I said above, there is a need for the sensitization of these Biotechnology foods to go beyond boardroom advocacy, ministry and agency and hotel workshops.

We can’t afford to miss out on this opportunity to secure our country’s food wisely. It’s no news anymore that our country is politically insecure. It is audible to the deaf and clear to the blind. Without security, it’s in vain that we discuss this. Nobody will practice agriculture anymore. Bandits, kidnappers and herders are everywhere terrorising farmers not only on their farms but also in their villages. We appreciate governments at all levels for their efforts to curb the menace of insecurity in our land so that our farmers can go to farm.

These efforts are not enough in that insecurity is still prevalent in many communities in the states. The governments should do more so as to win the confidence of the farmers. We advocate that farmers should be allowed to make arrangements for their security through self-guard and ICT technology operations. All stakeholders and state actors should be involved to make it a success. Financial marginalization of the real farmers in Nigerian Agricultural schemes and incentives should be addressed.

Nigerians farmers are celebrating the introduction of the GM crops principally because they have seen and witnessed what it can deliver to them and how it can change their fortunes. Today farmers in Kano and other northern states are already getting bumper harvest from planting the Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea but there is room for improvement as Nigeria is still importing a substantial amount of the maize consumed in the country.

Dr Canisius Kanangire is the Executive Director, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), in this interview with JULIANA AGBO, he speaks on the misconceptions about genetically modified crops and how Africa can achieve food security.

Since the launch of TELA maize varieties in June, there has been argument that the aim of the new variety is to reduce Nigeria’s population, what does 

It is very wrong to allege that we are working in collaboration with Bill Gates to reduce Africa’s population and I think Africa, Europe, Asia and America itself are benefiting from the philanthropic nature of Bill Gates. He is willing to put money to support Africa and other continents in what they think is necessary for their development. The current lies and misinformation being peddled against the genuity of GM crops are targeted at making the African continent rely on imported foods and also to make our farmers remain in abject poverty.  

Some activists are of the opinion that GM foods  are responsible for the many deadly diseases in the world today, what do you have to say about this?

First, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) should be considered as a precise and quite fast way of producing varieties that have the traits that we need to address some of the issues that we have in our crop production. 

Now those who are saying that the products are responsible for any disease or infertility,

I think it is totally out. They should then also provide the facts of the research that they have done and not just go and lie to people and create fear, so that they keep them in this situation of poverty or the predictable result of their efforts in farming. 

For the two GM crops products that we have already started commercialising in Nigeria and other countries in Africa, we have BT cowpea and  is just a cowpea that has the capacity to resist the Maruca Vitrata, that pest that can really devastate the crop and can make a farmer lose up to 80% of his farm production. 

Nothing can cause any harm whatsoever, which is seen in those products and make the difference between the genetically modified and the conventional cowpea, also the process of TELA maize is the same, which is a gene protecting the maize against the stem borer. And again, it goes through a very long and thorough analysis to ensure that it is safe for human beings, animals and the environment. It goes through a process of research. There are facts, there is data which anyone can research and get. 

What do you mean when you say the BT cowpea and TELA maize went through a very long and thorough analysis?

Before these two products were  commercialised, they went through a lot of verification trials analysis and on farm trials  to ensure that the cowpea which is produced has the same properties as the other cowpea in terms of chemical and organoleptic properties,  etc. The only responsible way is to carry out responsible science, use innovations, be able to communicate responsibly, and what will be helpful for people to take Africa to the next level of development. It is our agenda to reach food security. 

Do you think Africa can achieve food security soon?

I believe we can be self-sufficient in food production as time goes on, but food security will not be reached if we use the same tools, the same technologies that our parents, grandparents and others have been using. We need to bring in innovation, we need to bring in the discoveries that have made other continents to be developed. 

And those require money to bring the science to customize and to tests and to communicate with stakeholders so that we can ensure that really what we are bringing is being brought to all people. Bill Gates and his foundation has been at the forefront of applying that generosity and bringing in money. So it is not that he is asking us to make Africa infertile or so. 

I have never heard about that and I believe that it is not at all his agenda. I wish that others who have the same wealth on the African continent do exactly the same so that we can have a lot of money to even educate and change the perception. The misconception of these people who are peddling those lies and misinformation and who are keeping our farmers in a state of fear and poverty will not make us self-sufficient.

There is only an effort to make Africa prosper. And that prosperity should be reached through technology applied in what we think is most important for our people and for our continent.

When is TELA maize expected to be in the hands of 80 percent of Nigerian farmers?

We have distributed some seed for demonstration so that farmers can see the performance of TELA visa vis the variety that we use ordinarily in the farming and then understand by themselves and appreciate by themselves and they need to adopt the TELA technology to protect themselves against stem borer and Fall Army Worm (FAW), but meanwhile, we have also brought a foundation seeds which will be distributed to the seed producers, and the seed producers will be able now to multiply them and produce certified seeds which in the next planting season will be available for the farmers to buy improved seed and be able to have them and when I say distribution, It is not for free actually. 

And the role of AATF and our partners is to ensure that seeds are still affordable because we negotiate all these products royalty free so that we can be able to keep them at a price which will be affordable for the seed production companies and for the smallholder farmers for the seed which is certified and high quality ones. So next season, many farmers will get the product because for now, what we were able to share was around 40 tons of seeds and just for demonstration across the country.

What other crops are in the pipeline that AATF and partners are working on?

In the pipeline, we have other products of very high value for our food security. We are also working on potato, Irish potato that will soon be in the market. We are also working on cassava, it will be in the market. And with another technology, genome editing, we are also testing the sorghum. So those are the products which are in the pipeline.

Is the AATF collaborating with African governments to address concerns raised by some sections about GM crops?

The AATF is actively collaborating with African governments to address concerns related to GM crops. Biotechnology is a crucial area of technological advancement that needs to be introduced across Africa. A key part of this effort involves identifying the specific needs of African farmers and engaging with government authorities in each country. 

AATF has been effective in sourcing and negotiating the transfer of appropriate technologies to African nations. However, it is equally important to establish policies that facilitate the introduction of biotechnology products to consumers.In terms of regulatory frameworks, AATF has partnered with various countries, including Nigeria, to enhance and implement national biosafety laws. These laws are essential for creating the necessary institutions and regulatory frameworks to ensure biosafety.

 While progress has been made in several countries, there is still a need for further improvement and acceleration in this process. AATF acknowledges the importance of convincing countries of the benefits before they adopt these technologies and respects each country’s sovereignty in making informed decisions.In Nigeria, AATF has successfully introduced Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea, which is resistant to Maruca vitrata. 

This innovation has greatly improved productivity and reduced the need for excessive insecticide use, benefiting the economy, environment, and farmers’ health. Additionally, Nigeria has made strides with TELA Maize, an insect-resistant variety that is showing promising results. 

Following Nigeria’s lead, Ghana has also released PBR cowpea, and it is expected to be available to farmers soon. Overall, there is encouraging progress in the adoption of biotechnology in Africa, and AATF is committed to continuing its efforts to promote biotechnology as a means to enhance agricultural productivity on the continent. The organization remains dedicated to learning from its experiences and building on its successes.