Food Sovereignty At Risk As Experts Warn Against GMOs

Stakeholders in the Agricultural Sector have called on the Federal government to Ban the importation and cultivation of Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs in the country until an independent national assessment is conducted, citing potential health and environmental risks.

The Stakeholders, led by the Director General of the Centre For Food Safety And Agricultural Research, CEFSAR, Prof Qrissturberg Amua, made the call at a Media Conference in Abuja on the Dangers of GMOs.

The group also called on the National Assembly to amend the National Biosafety Management Agency, NBMA, Act to prohibit the promotion of GMOs in the country.

“The call for an independent national assessment highlights growing concerns over GMO safety and regulation in Nigeria, sparking intense discussions among experts, policymakers, and farmers about potential environmental, health, and agricultural sovereignty impacts.”

According to the Director General of CEFSAR, Prof Amua, the widespread adoption of GMOs without thorough risk assessment and regulatory oversight could expose Nigeria to economic manipulation and long-term ecological damage.

Prof Amua mentioned that food sovereignty is a matter of national security and called for the removal of foreign influence from Nigeria’s biosafety regulatory framework.

Also speaking, Dr. Segun Adebayo of the Centre for African Policy Research and advisory, CAfPRA
argued that GMOs are not the solution to food security and instead advocate sustainable agricultural practices.

Dr. Adebayo highlighted the potential dangers of consuming genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and expressed concern that Nigeria has not yet banned their cultivation despite growing global opposition to the technology.

“The potential environmental impacts of GMOs, such as the development of herbicide-resistant weeds, loss of biodiversity, and the impact on pollinators.

The experts called for increased education and advocacy on the potential risks of GMOs to protect public health and agricultural stability.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji