National conference on GMOs, Biosafety holds in Abuja

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), in collaboration with GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance, is set to hold a National Conference on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with the theme: ‘Beyond the Propaganda: Unveiling the Truth About GMOs.’ The event is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, July 30 in Abuja.

In May, the House of Representatives rightly proposed a motion to probe the introduction of GMOs in Nigeria and urged the Federal Government to suspend the introduction of new GMO crops in the country.

HOMEF applauded this decision, saying that it must be followed up to ensure that the investigation process is unbiased and that the concerned agencies have all the relevant information to base their recommendations.

According to Nnimmo Bassey, HOMEF’s Executive Director, “there has been an uproar in the country since the most recent approval of TELA Maize which is genetically modified to be pest resistant and drought tolerant. Major concerns expressed by the public include the secrecy with which these GMOs are deployed, the implication of corporate control of seeds and the Nigerian food system, the contamination of the country’s local genetic resources, environmental degradation, health implications, and more.”

He said, it is of the essence that a multi-stakeholder forum is organised to cohesively address the various concerns with GMOs, review the experience so far, and come up with clear resolutions regarding their deployment and use as well as solutions for food sovereignty in Nigeria.

HOMEF’s Director of Programmes, Joyce Brown, noted that  “since the set up of the National Biosafety Management Agency Act in 2015, more than 20 different crop varieties have been approved by the agency for various purposes including commercial release/market placement.

“As of  June 28, 2024, according to information available on the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) [where countries that are signatories to the Biological Convention on Biodiversity are required to upload information regarding decisions on GMOs], Nigeria has approved 25 GMO products: 11 for field trials; four for commercial release and 10 for food, feed or processing.

This conference will address issues related to the regulation of GMOs/approval processes, risk assessment, access to information, and the health, economic, and environmental implications of GMOs. It will also highlight the way forward for food sovereignty in Nigeria.

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