Agriculture
Group Demands Ban on Genetically Modified Cowpea in Nigeria
FROM TAYESE Mike, Yenagoa
A coalition of food focused non-governmental organisations, farmers’ groups and research experts from various African countries have kicked against release of genetically-modified cowpea.
They urged the Nigerian government to revoke the permits granted by Nigeria’s National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, for the commercial release of PBR-Cowpea.
The call was made on Tuesday in an online international press conference monitored from Yenagoa with the theme: Pushing Back Bt Cowpea in Africa.
The event was cordinated by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in collaboration with the African Center for Biodiversity (ACBio).
Dr Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director, HOMEF noted that the introduction of the new variety would lead to extinction of the indegenous natural varieties adding that one of the ways to colonize a people is by dismantling or subverting their culture.
“This pathway is also effective for building dependency and disrupting the systems that organically secures the health of the populations.
“In terms of agricultural and food systems, the disruption is most effective when staple crops are targeted, appropriated through patenting and presented as mere merchandize. Food is fast becoming an instrument of control and power.
“Science has been used as a cloak for the introduction of foods of dubious value and quality. The quest to solve perceived problems through artificial means introduces new problems, some of which can be intractable.
“Today we see unrelenting forces seeking to control our food and agricultural systems with attendant disregard for indigenous knowledge, natural cycles, biodiversity, and livelihoods of communities.
“We are concerned that food is being seen as a mere commodity or a mechanical or chemical product from a factory or laboratory.
“Truth is that eating is beyond swallowing food to satiate hunger; food has deep cultural and spiritual anchors with special significance in many religious observances,” Bassey noted.
Bassey observed that food supply across Africa depends largely on the maintenance of a healthy and thriving biodiversity which ought to be guarded jealously from the .commercial interest of foreign powers.
“Our farmers save, reproduce, and share seeds, understanding that these seeds encapsulate life.
“These communities engage in mixed cropping and harvest a mix of fruits, tubers and vegetables that yield foods that are rich and healthy, providing needed nutrition and building defenses against illnesses.
“They have a strong link to what is presented as food and harvests are never mechanical exercises. Moreover, many of our farmers do not see food production as mere business or for profit.
“These practices are being threatened by the genetic modification of seeds particularly those that make up our staple foods,” Bassey said.
The group demanded that distribution of the new variety to farmers be stopped immediately, as this is bound to have severe long-term negative implications on the environment and farmers’ seed and populations, and production practices.
According to them, with the genetically modified variety, Nigerian farmers could become trapped in unsustainable, unsuitable, and unaffordable farming practices, deepening the threat to food and nutritional security and ultimately farmers’ rights.
“We also admonish other African governments to desist from the use of this variety and other GM crops on the continent, which represent continued agrarian extractivism and exploitation of smallholder farmers.
“Cowpea, popularly known as beans, is an indigenous African crop and major source of protein.
“As a staple food for humans, as well as an essential animal feed, Cowpea plays a crucial role in food and nutritional security, as well as providing an important source of income.
“Nigeria is the prime producer, with a yearly average production of about 2.7 million metric tons over the last 10 years,” the group stated.
The group expressed disappointment that Nigeria is the first country to commercially release genetically modified Cowpea variety approved in 2019.
The coalition noted the approval was in spite of concerns expressed by stakeholders with regard to the environmental, socio-economic and health implications.
They listed other countries under pressure to adopt this technology to include Ghana and Burkina Faso.
“A recent review of the risk assessment document on which the approval was based reveals deficiencies in the safety assessment of the Bt toxins produced in the plants.
“It pertains to the expression of the additionally inserted genes, the impact on non-target organisms, and the impact on bio-geochemical processes and food safety,” The group said.
The coalition quoted the coordinator of the food sovereignty programme at Friends of the Earth Africa/Nigeria, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, as saying that generally, GMOs are accompanied with large range of socioeconomic problems.
“Smallholder farmers, the bedrock of agriculture on the continent are unable to compete with large industrial producers in a globalised market.
“This is leading to further land grabs, rural unemployment, depopulation, malnutrition and a sharp increase in violent conflicts between small farmers and large agro-industrial producers.
“The recent farmer crisis in India has proven once more that GMOs lead to accumulation of wealth in the hands of a small elite group unwilling to share its profits with the rest of society,” Bassey-Orovwuje said.
The group regretted that most farmers are completely uninformed on this variety and its environmental and health implications, and consumers are denied the right of choice.
The group explained that labelling is not feasible, especially in Nigeria, where food is sold in cups and measures, and the product is processed in various forms.
The coalition emphasised the need for governments across Africa to strengthen their biosafety legislation in line with the precautionary principle, which advises caution where there is no certainty of environmental and health safety.
They also demanded adequate support for smallholder farmers, who have over the years resisted pest and disease invasions and improved food productivity, through indigenous knowledge and innovation.
The coalition includes Friends of the Earth, Africa; Food Sovereignty Ghana; Rural Organisation for Sustainable Agriculture (ORAD); Network of Women and Youth in Agriculture; the ACBio and HOMEF amongst others.
The National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) has urged the media to stand in the communication gap in favour of biotechnology development n Nigeria, re-affirming the safety in the consumption of genetically modified foods.
Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, affirmed this during a one-day media field trip to NBRDA FARMS on Monday in Abuja.
The trip was organised by Open Forum On Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), an initiative of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
“Today, you shall be visiting our TELA Maize farms. This provides an exciting opportunity to see for yourselves what we have been doing here and equally gather your findings on what you have seen today and then take back the message to the people to quell some of the miscommunications about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) crops.
“TELA Maize hybrid varieties were developed to address some of the pressing challenges facing our farmers, including pests and diseases that can significantly reduce crop yields,” he said.
According to him, the production of the TELA MAIZE hybrid was done through the combined efforts of scientists at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria in collaboration with stakeholders in key institutions such as NBRDA, NBMA, NASC, and the AATF Research Team.
“We are here to showcase our demonstration farms of genetically modified versions of commonly consumed crops developed by our scientists that have enjoyed rave reviews from the global world of science and the agricultural sector.
“These experts have worked tirelessly to ensure that this crop is not only high-yielding but also safe for human consumption,” he added.
He noted that the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has been instrumental in ensuring the safety and efficacy of TELA Maize which is believed to have the potential to transform the agricultural landscape in Nigeria and beyond.
Dr Jean Baptiste, the Regional Representative of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, said that GMOs were aimed at leveraging the potential of biotechnology to develop a system that will help farmers.
He said Tella maize is a variety, developed using biotechnology methods to control insects.
“It also checks the resistance to drought and controls army worms, and stem borers in maize.
“At the end of the day, the benefits are enormous because it helps farmers increase yield and to be able to meet food security issues.
Dr. Francis Nwankwo, a TELA MAIZE developer from the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF) explained the processes saying Tela maize passed through a genetic transformation that happens at the DNA level .
“They are not manufactured. What happens is we identify genes that can inhibit the infestation or reduce the infestation of some lepidoptera pests that affect some crops.
“So when we identify those genes we incorporate them into the DNA of maize thereby making it the maize, plus the genes.
“That way we increase the genes and reduce the struggles that our conventional maize go through on our farms like the stem borrower and others,” he said.
In her presentation, Dr Rose Gidado, Director, Agricultural Biotechnology Department, NBRDA, explained that many countries have derived huge benefits from TELA maize citing countries such as the U.S. and Canada.
“We actually brought you here so you could see the disparities between the TELA MAIZE and the non-TELA MAIZE species, and the environment which is far different from what we see on social media.
“We have other crops like beans that have actually been through the same gene transfers and are doing perfectly well and are safe for consumption,” she said.
She, therefore, urged the media to be on the guard in view of a lot of misinformation going round on social media and take responsibility in providing related information to the public adequately and objectively. (NAN)
Ms Surah Animashaun, the Chairperson, Epe Local Government, has empowered 200 farmers with cash and other agricultural inputs to boost food production in the area.
Animashaun distributed the agricultural inputs to the beneficiaries at the council secretariat in Epe on Thursday in Lagos.
She said the initiative was aimed at supporting farmers in order to boost food production in the various communities of the council.
Animashaun said the farmers who benefitted from the gesture are expected to be considerate in their price fixing after harvest to ensure the affordability of food for all Nigerians.
“With the economic situation now and the support being giving to you, farmers should be reasonable in fixing prices after harvest to ensure that ordinary Nigerians source food at a more convenient price nationwide.
“We are here to give you support for your farming activities today, we expect that you reciprocate tomorrow by selling at a more affordable price to the people tomorrow,’’ she said.
Animashaun explained that each of the benefiting farmers received N50,000 and essential grains such as maize and sorghum.
She said the council would continue to support the farmers for them to be strong in farming activities.
Animashaun also used the medium to highlight her administration’s ongoing efforts in the extension of palliatives to other sectors of the economy.
She urged the communities in the area to maintain harmony, love, hospitality, and compassion, particularly in the face of the present economic challenges.
Also speaking, Mr Sikiru Owolomoshe, the Vice Chairman of the council, urged the farmers to take advantage of the gesture to improve their activities in order to encourage others.
Mr Olayinka Kazeem, the Secretary of Epe Farmers and a beneficiary, expressed gratitude to the council chairperson and her management.
“This is the first time we are witnessing this kind of programme and it is coming at a critical period when many states are facing food shortage,’’ he said.
He assured that the beneficiaries would do their best to ensure the objective was achieved.
Mr Ahmed Surakat, the Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Fishermen Cooperative Association, and Mrs Kafilat Animashahun beneficiaries, extended their gratitude to the council chairman for her unwavering support to farmers.
Earlier, the President of the Epe Farmers Union, Mrs Aminat Shabi, lauded Animashaun for the comprehensive support to other agricultural value chain such as fish farmers and livestock producers.(NAN)
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) has been described as an appropriate and very effective means of realising food sufficiency and security across the country.
The National Coordinator of RAAMP, Engr Aminu Bodinga Mohammed who made the assertion during the 7th Joint World Bank and French Development Agency Implementation Support Mission of RAAMP at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, pointing out that most urban centers derive their supply of food from farms, which are located at the rural communities.
His words: “the primary objective of RAAMP is to improve rural roads and trading infrastructure through to boost food production.
Therefore the successful implementation of this project could go a long way towards guaranteeing food sufficiency and security across the country”.He solicited for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to ensure an all-round success of the project.
Aminu noted that the mission was to evaluate the current implementation status, milestones as well as challenges faced by the 19 states participating in the project and announced that arrangements had reached an advanced stage for the commencement of civil works on agro-logistics centers (ALCs) latest by September, 2024 with 23 major contracts that would be awarded across the states.
ALCs refer to market hubs that have been prioritised for transformation to ultra-modern standards at various locations across the country , notably in rural communities to empower and enhance the livelihoods of the people.
Also speaking, the Task Team Leader of the World Bank, Mr. Rakeesh Tripathi hinted that a scale-up was being mooted for the project but emphasized that only states which must have established and operationalised the Rural Access Road Agency (RARA) and State Road Fund (SRF), backed up with the required standing on counterpart funds would be eligible to access the scale-up funds.
He therefore advised all states to take advantage of the mission and get the needed support to tackle every challenge facing their State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU), adding that all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would be encouraged to embrace the scale-up project.
Highpoints of the exercise were presentations by the State Project Coordinators of the respective participating states, question and answer sessions, comments and observations, among other inputs by the stakeholders.
The Task Team Leader of the French Development Agency, AFD; Consultants from the World Bank; the Federal Project Management Unit, FPMU as well as State Project Implementation Units, SPIUs of RAAMP also attended the mission.
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