A coalition of over 100 civil society actors, farmers, scientists, and academics, representing 100 million Nigerian consumers, has called on the government to discontinue plans to introduce genetically modified (GM) potatoes and ban GM crops altogether.
The demand was made in a press statement released in Port Harcourt, following the announcement of impending clinical trials on GM potatoes.
Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, condemned the move, stating that any further release of GM crops would be a deliberate effort to destroy Nigeria’s food system, jeopardize consumer health, and degrade the environment.
“The House of Representatives announced a halt on introducing new GMOs in May 2024 and mandated an investigation into GMOs and their approval processes. Four months later, there is no information on the findings or results of this investigation, yet the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) is preparing to release new GM potatoes,” Bassey said.
Bassey also criticized GM potatoes as a narrow and short-sighted technological fix that could lead to irreversible contamination of indigenous potato varieties.
“GM potatoes are banned in Peru and elsewhere and have been continuously spurned in developed countries. It’s puzzling that Nigerian farmers are being pushed to adopt this technology,” he added.
Dr. Ifeanyi Casmir, a molecular biologist, echoed Bassey’s concerns, noting that GM potatoes represent a gradual erosion of Nigeria’s crop diversity.
“We’re being misled by half-baked scientists toward adopting a technology whose products are mostly used as biofuels and animal feed in other countries, not for human consumption,” Casimir said.
Food Sovereignty Activist and Deputy Director of Environmental Rights Action, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, emphasized regulatory lapses surrounding GM crops. “There’s no information on the application for field/clinical trials on GM potatoes on the NBMA website. The secrecy and urgency with which GMO applications and approvals are handled are cause for concern,” Bassey-Orovwuje said.
Also, Joyce Brown, Public Health Scientist and Director of Programs at HOMEF, questioned the safety of GM potatoes. “There’s no information on long-term feeding studies conducted on these GM potato varieties. Short-term clinical trials are insufficient,” Brown noted.
A farmer and founder of the Network of Women in Agriculture, Lovelyn Ejim, argued that Nigeria doesn’t need genetic modification to address late blight disease. “Simple organic methods have proven effective, including choosing resistant varieties, crop rotation, mixed cropping, proper crop nutrition, and quick removal of blighted plants. Nigerian farmers haven’t asked for GMOs,” Ejim said.
It was observed that the rejection of GM crops is not new in Nigeria. In recent months, Nigerians have condemned the government’s deployment of GMOs, citing health and environmental risks, corporate control of the food system, and the fact that Nigeria doesn’t need GMOs to address food insecurity.
Meanwhile, the coalition is calling on the House of Representatives to uphold its decision to suspend the introduction of new GMOs and ensure a thorough assessment of the long-term impact of GMOs in Nigeria. They advocated for investing in agroecology, a sustainable farming system that addresses major food system challenges while mitigating environmental impact.