***Raises Alarm Over Health Hazards, Environmental Risks, and Seed Dependency
By Fatima Ndagi
The Centre for Food Safety and Agricultural Research has issued a strong warning to Nigerian lawmakers, calling for immediate legislation to prohibit the use and distribution of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the country.
Speaking at a one-day training session for members of the House of Representatives Press Corps, the Centre’s Executive Director, Qrisstuberg Amua, stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to protect public health, food sovereignty, and environmental integrity. The workshop was held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
Amua argued that GMOs pose serious health risks, including links to cancer and antibiotic resistance.
“Our research shows that these products, developed through unnatural genetic manipulation, are causing more harm than good,” he said.
He added that GMO crops like Bt Cowpea express enzymes that could contribute to antibiotic resistance, posing long-term dangers to human health.
The Centre pointed to global trends, noting that dozens of countries—including South Africa, Russia, Zambia, Mexico, and Peru—have restricted or banned GMO products.
In the EU alone, over 19 countries have moved to prohibit GMOs, and similar actions have been taken in parts of Asia, the Americas, and Africa.
The organization also cited environmental concerns, warning that GMO farming leads to increased herbicide use, which in turn contaminates soil and water and harms non-target organisms vital to the ecosystem.
“These chemicals, often sold by the same companies that produce the GMO seeds, destroy biodiversity and pollute water sources,” Amua said.
Referencing a motion sponsored by Rep. Tolani Shagaya (APC, Kwara) in May 2024, the Centre lamented the delay in releasing the findings of the House Committee on Agricultural Production Services, which was tasked with investigating the safety and implications of GMOs in Nigeria.
According to Amua, Nigerian farmers face economic challenges tied to GMO seed dependency. “While GMO seeds may seem productive at first, yields drop after a few cycles.
Worse still, the seeds cannot be replanted, forcing farmers to return to foreign seed companies year after year,” he said. He described this trend as “seed colonialism,” warning that it undermines local agriculture and national self-reliance.
The Centre called on the government to support regenerative agriculture, such as crop rotation and cover cropping, which it says offers safer, more sustainable alternatives that improve soil health and farmer incomes.
Also speaking at the event, the Centre’s Deputy Director, Segun Adabayo, said the training was designed to empower journalists to report more accurately and critically on GMO-related developments.
He emphasized the importance of equipping the media to engage the public on issues of food safety and national food policy.