The controversy surrounding the safety of genetically modified (GM) foods, seeds, crops, and products continues to rage as both the proponents and opponents hold on to their positions. The issue came up again at the 9th National Conference on Environment and Health, organised by the Living Science Foundation at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State. GBENGA ADERANTI examines the issues raised at the conference and the way forward on GM products
The decision of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to introduce genetically modified (GM) crops into the country is most probably impelled by the need to find a solution to the food crisis in the country. Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods that come from organisms that have had their DNA altered through genetic engineering or other techniques.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), GM foods are developed – and marketed – because there is some perceived advantage to the producer or the consumer of these foods. They are meant to translate into products with lower prices, greater benefits (in terms of durability or nutritional value), or both.
Early this year, the administration of President Bola Tinubu officially approved Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) seeds for use in the country’s agriculture. Earlier in 2018, the country had commercialised its first genetically modified crop, the pest-resistant Bt Cotton, as a means to revitalise its moribund textile industry and boost economic development. Since then, the country has approved the commercial use of genetically modified cowpeas and maize.
Genetically Modified (GM) crops available in Nigeria include: Bt cowpea. Approved for commercialization in 2019, this pest-resistant cowpea was developed to help Nigeria reduce its reliance on imports and achieve food security. Some farmers have reported between 50 and 60 percent increase in yield with the Bt cowpea.
Also, TELA maize was approved for commercialization in 2024, making this insect-resistant and drought-tolerant maize variety to become the second GM food crop to be commercialised in Nigeria. Other crops like potatoes are currently undergoing confined field trials.
Since the introduction of GMOs, many stakeholders in the agriculture sector have queued behind the idea, believing that it was the best route to take, though the idea was met with resistance from certain quarters insisting that GM products were harmful to human beings.
Allaying the fear of Nigerians, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Rufus Ebegba, clarified that none of the GMOs approved in the country had any risk associated with it.
Also, the National President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, (AFAN) Kabiru Ibrahim, in a report, expressed optimism that the country can achieve food security faster if it embraces the use of Genetically Modified Organism seeds.
He explained that GM crops are science-based and have been proven to be safe. Knocking those who alleged a nexus between GM crops and diseases, Ibrahim noted that those averse to the idea are yet to present facts to back up their arguments.
He insisted that the GM crops would not cause famine, asserting that GMO increases production, ensures higher yield, and leads to prosperity.
Ibrahim said: “In Nigeria, we have just released the Tela maize. The Tela maize can withstand drought and armyworms, and can withstand stem borers. Also, its yield is higher than the normal hybrid maize.
“Therefore, the way out of poverty and to get into food security for Nigeria is through GM crops. This is why Brazil is now a developed country. Most of what comes out of Brazil, in terms of corn, beans, and all that, are GM.
“We have also imported maize for the poultry industry from Argentina and it is in Lagos. Because of the competition between animals and humans, we need to embrace GM crops so that we will be able to optimise our productivity and be able to feed both our animals and humans.”
He further stated that “any country in the world that you see has food security, as a matter of fact, they also do GMO. Nigeria will attain food security if it embraces GM crops.
“Our population is very high. Today, we are over 200 million and are struggling or grappling with food security. What will happen when we are 400 million?
“We should explore all possibilities to attain food security. So anybody who tells you that GM crops or seeds are infertile or whatever, they don’t know what they are talking about.”
While the proponents of GMOs continue to advance arguments in its favour, the House of Representatives, in May, called for the suspension of GMOs in Nigeria pending the conclusion of a comprehensive investigation.
Farmers in the dark
As good as the idea of GMO could be, The Nation gathered that a large percentage of Nigerian farmers have no idea what it is all about. The majority of the farmers who spoke with The Nation said they were yet to have access to GM crops, therefore it would be difficult to comment on whether it was harmful or not.
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A farmer, Tunde Orukotan, said the idea of GM crops is nice. He, however, said it would be very difficult for him to conclude that GMO foods are harmful because he had not done any research to prove that or gain access to unbiased research on it.
However, he believes that the natural nutritional values of the end products of GM crops and products must have been significantly altered as such the natural benefits were lost. “On the other hand, it could be a viable option for guaranteeing food security because of improved production quantity, especially in the face of global warming that has largely impacted seasonality planning of some crops,” he said.
An Osun State-based farmer, Akeem Adeoye, said he had never seen GM crops. But he believes it would be nice if the in charge of the crops made it available to farmers since it would assist the farmers and make their jobs easier.
Adeoye said: “The closest thing is the orange I have in my compound. I just noticed that it has no seed but it is sweet.”
Exercise in futility?
One of the reasons why proponents of GM seeds argue passionately in its support is the belief that it could end the food crisis in Nigeria. But this has been faulted by a professor of Health Physics and Environment, Joshua O. Ojo.
According to him, the food crisis in Nigeria has very little to do with seeds. Rather, it has to do with insurgency (deliberate targeting of farmers in the guise of herdsmen-farmers clashes), poor infrastructure (roads, storage) and expensive agrochemicals, among others.
Ojo added: “GM foods have not achieved any stated purpose in the countries that have used it for decades.
“As noted in our communique, the so-called Golden Rice was banned in the Philippines in April of this year while the Permit for the GM maize was withdrawn in South Africa late last month.”
Like a sepulcher, notwithstanding the argument put forward by the GMO proponents, Ojo insists that there is no merit in the argument that GMO seeds are worth the price.
He warned that once the country gets stuck with the product, the producers can attach any price or conditions to its availability.
“For instance, in India, seeds for Bt Cotton were introduced at the price of 7 rupees per kg, only to shoot up to 17,000 rupees per kg as people got used to the product. The situation is absolutely intolerable for a food product – especially staples.
“Of course, there could be merits in their use as non-food. For instance bio-fuels, some pharmaceuticals, basic research, etc.”
The professor advised that Nigeria must continue to engage in basic research in GMO products, “so we don’t get left behind by the rest of the world, who might use such knowledge against us, for instance in the matter of national security. The issue in question is the mass deployment of GMOs into that most fundamental of human needs: food!”
Identifying GMO foods
Ironically, the majority of the people who campaign vigorously against GMO foods eat the products without knowing.
According to Ojo, GM foods can only be identified when appropriately labeled. The NBMA Act requires that GMO foods should be appropriately labeled for easy identification. Unfortunately, “This requirement is being breached with impunity. Nobody knows the GMO contents of the beans and the by-products like moin-moin and akara that we have been consuming.”
Moreover, he noted, NBMA, the agency saddled with this task of labeling, has shirked its responsibilities.
In an interview with our correspondent, an Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Dr. Ado Garba, disclosed that despite the perceived benefits, GMOs are met with heavy criticism.
He revealed that currently, 26 countries including France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Russia, China and India (19 of which are in the European Union (EU)) have partially or fully banned GMOs “simply because the advantage of GMOs to agriculture and food production is often considered weak or nonexistent, while the risks are considered substantial.
“GMOs are also not safe for the environment for biodiversity loss. GMO crops in particular have negative impacts on non–targeted organisms and on soil and water ecosystems.
“For example, the expansion of GM herbicide-tolerant corn and soy, which are twinned with herbicides, has destroyed much of the habitat of the monarch butterfly in North America.”
Garba advised that the introduction of new agricultural technologies, particularly Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), necessitates stringent safety regulations to ensure that food products are safe for consumption.
He prescribed that adequate testing, monitoring, and public awareness are essential to maintain consumer trust, adding that all GMO products should be labbelled as GMO like it is done in foreign countries.
Garba noted that the shift to new farming methods can introduce health risks to agricultural workers, including exposure to chemicals and the physical demands of operating new machinery.
He, therefore, advised that the government should implement safety protocols and provide adequate training to minimize these risks.
“The success of emerging agricultural practices in ensuring food security depends on robust regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with safety. This includes the development of policies that promote sustainable practices while safeguarding public health and the environment,” he said.
Experts express concerns
Despite the optimism expressed in certain quarters, experts have warned that the Nigerian government should tread with caution in promoting GM crops.
Rising from the 9th National Conference on Environment and Health (NCEH) in Ife, Osun State, Ojo, speaking on behalf of the conference, expressed reservations about GMOs.
According to the don, the Federal Government of Nigeria should be prevailed upon to suspend granting of further permits for commercial cultivation of GMO foods in Nigeria, until the Act establishing the Nigeria Biosafety Management Agency is appropriately strengthened to enable the agency to effectively carry out the onerous assignment placed on it.
However, in a joint communique by NCEH after the conference, observations and recommendations on GMO foods were made public.
The NCEH noted that bioengineering involves unnatural re-arrangements of genetic materials in the living cell and is disruptive to biological diversity at the species and ecosystem levels. This has significant implications for sustainable development.
Whereas the intervention of bioengineering may well be justified in certain limited spheres of applications, such as tightly supervised interventions in environment and health sectors, but “the benefits for applications in the area of food is questionable. Even if these products were assumed to be absolutely safe and uncompromisingly nutritious, they still portend unacceptable grave danger to the hallowed concept of food sovereignty.”
The dons also warned that it is not reasonable to expect commercial organisations to invest in production of transgenic seeds that will be able to faithfully reproduce themselves indefinitely –as true seeds are supposed to do. If the clients do not need to revert to the producer from time to time (preferably every planting season), it is impossible for the effort to succeed as a commercial venture. Therefore, “food sovereignty and GMO foods clearly cannot co-exist.”
Contrary to the notion in certain quarters that GM foods are not harmful, the conference pointed out the adverse health effects associated with GMOs.
“For instance, the State of Mexico recently submitted a document referencing more than 150 peer-reviewed publications detailing adverse health issues associated with chronic ingestion of GMO foods.”
According to a communique by NCEH, “if GMO foods appear to be cheaper on the shelf, the ultimate cost (both to the individual consumer and to the national health expenditure in general) makes it highly disruptive to the economy and consequently inimical to sustainable development.”
It was also noted that whereas the applications of GMOs in most of the few nations accepting the products involve exotic food products, fruits and delicacies, “the targets in Nigeria are our staple foods. With GM beans and maize already given to commercial cultivation; and cassava and potatoes also slated for the same in the near future, literally the entire staples in Nigeria are steadily being given over to this yet imprecise technology which is still in its infancy. This situation is unprecedented anywhere in the world and it clearly constitutes a grave threat to our long-term food security.”
The NCEH emphasised the fact that the germlines used for the production of these transgenic ‘seeds’ are designed and developed as proprietary “black box” products by foreigners, adding that Nigeria would continue to revert to these foreigners as various issues develop over the years in the use of these GM products.
The experts also noted that the staff members of NBMA are not only qualified and competent, they are quite aware of the risks involved in GMO foods. “It is however extremely worrisome that the NBMA seems closed-minded to receiving informed positive criticisms that could help her in the discharge of her onerous task,” they noted.
The Nation also gathered that the enabling law and funding level of the NBMA make it extremely difficult for the agency to successfully discharge its duties, no matter how hard the staff tries. For instance, according to current provisions of the law, it is the producers of GM products that conduct their toxicity tests while the results are only passed on to the NBMA for review.
Furthermore, even though the NBMA 2015 Act (Part VIII Section 32) frowns at the involvement of people with conflict of interests in carrying out the risk assessment for GMO products, current practice at the agency apparently places the bulk of this assignment on the product developers. The NBMA subsequently attempts to verify the claims submitted by the Producers via nationwide surveillance activities on the product’s performance after release. Not only is the agency’s poor funding unable to accommodate such a humongous task, the whole procedure is clearly counterintuitive.
It was gathered that the NBMA is making virtually no effort to ensure appropriate labeling for the transgenic foods being licensed; a stark violation of the requirements of the 2015 NBMA Act which calls for appropriate labeling and packaging scheme for transgenic foods (Section 23(2) h).
Many countries are reviewing (and reversing) the approvals that the GMO foods advocates cunningly obtained, especially where food staples are concerned. In the last six months, The Philippines revoked the permit for commercial GM rice (so-called golden rice) on April 17, 2024; Mexico is currently insisting on stopping imports of GM maize from the US, as maize constitutes a staple in Mexico, whereas it is only a delicacy in the US. Cultivation of maize GMO within Mexico itself had been proscribed for over two decades.
Way forward
On the way forward, NCEH advised that the NBMA Act 2015 (and as amended in 2019) be urgently reviewed to mandate the agency to send GMO products seeking licensing to multiple reputable universities and research
Institutions in the country would carry out not only comprehensive risk assessments but also thorough chronic toxicity tests using animals.
“The results of such exercises, which should be published in peer-reviewed journals, should then be used to guide the agency’s decision on such application,” it stated.
The conference also recommends that the NBMA must be compelled to implement the requirement in the 2015 Act (Section 23 (2) h), that GMO products licensed by her are duly labelled as “this will ensure that the public is adequately advised and given an opportunity to make an informed choice on what they feed into their bodies.”
The NCEH also calls on all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government to put on hold further approvals of GMO foods until nationwide surveillance of the performance of the already approved Bt, cowpea, and GM (TELA) maize has been properly conducted to inform further decisions.
The Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State teacher, Garba, recognising that the idea of GMOs is not popular, advised that the government should create awareness in public education campaigns to inform consumers about the safety and benefits of new agricultural practices, thereby building trust and ensuring that these innovations are widely accepted.
According to him, the public has mixed feelings and lacks trust about GMOs, and there is a need for more education about the technology.
“Some citizens are more concerned that the government should focus on other agricultural challenges, such as insecurity, banditry, and kidnapping, and for providing mechanization,” Garba said.
NBMA yet to react
On Tuesday, The Nation sent a message to the representative of the NBMA at the conference, Ngozi Miracle, who was a speaker at the conference, but she tersely responded, saying “I will get back to you.”
She, however, had not done so at the time of filing this report, thus failing to respond to some of the issues concerning GMOs, as requested by our correspondent.
