Why Nigeria must ban GMO foods, crops – Rights groups

Anti-promoters of genetically modified foods and technology, on Friday, hit the streets in a nationwide rally calling for a ban on GMO use in Nigeria.

The rally, organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation and the GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance, was held across the geopolitical zones in 10 states, including Rivers, Edo, Katsina, Plateau, Oyo, Lagos, Cross Rivers, Enugu, Jigawa, and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Among the campaigners were smallholder farmers, civil society organisations, scientists/researchers, nutritionists, legal practitioners, medical practitioners, as well as women and youth groups.

The unanimous demands of the rally across the states included the call for a ban on GMOs, including products brought in for food and food processing and as packaged processed foods.

The coalition also demanded a nullification of all permits so far granted, noting that they are not backed by adequate and certified (sufficient) risk assessment. They canvassed an investment in agroecology that ensures food security and food sovereignty while strengthening the Nigerian economy.

In his remarks, Nnimmo Bassey, executive director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, said: “Nigeria does not need GMOs to address food insecurity. The design of those crops does not support local economic growth but promote dependency on corporate seed supply.”

“In September 2024, the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN) were reported to have said that they did not record any significant increase in their yields compared to the local seed varieties but instead, since the introduction of GM cotton seeds over 4 years ago, yield per hectare has remained about the same.

“Also, the farmers noted that no other plant has been able to germinate on the farmlands where the GM seeds were planted, even after four years – confirming the concerns regarding loss of biodiversity and soil degradation due to the release of genetic material (proteins) into the soil which would not ordinarily occur.”

Bassey further said that farmers are unable to replant the GM seeds after harvest due to declining yields. They are encouraged to purchase the seeds from corporate entities continuously every new season. “This reflects neo-colonialism and corporate capture of our food system -something we shouldn’t take lightly.”

Ifeanyi Nwankwere, a national co-coordinator of the GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance, noted that GMOs approved in Nigeria so far are not currently being labelled, noting that Nigeria’s socio-economic context will not allow labelling to be effective considering how food is sold in cups and basins in open markets where the majority of the people shop from.

Nwankwere noted that the biosafety regulatory system in Nigeria is not designed in a way that assures safety with regard to GMOs.

The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) Act has fundamental flaws including the lack of provision on strict liability, lack of adequate provision on the Precautionary Principle, inadequate provision on public participation in decision-making, among others .

Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, deputy director at Environmental Rights Action, who coordinated the rally in the FCT, cautioned that several other countries including Russia, Mexico, Uganda and up to 23 more have placed bans on GMOs – some partial bans while others have put in place complete ban.

“The purpose of the rally is to tell our government that we are rejecting GMOs, that the people of Nigeria don’t want GMOs in our soil. We don’t want it on our platter. We don’t want it on our tables.

“We don’t want it anywhere near us because we can feed our people, our small-scale farmers, who are the people, feeding our people, have all it takes to feed Nigerians.

“All they need is support, good infrastructure, good roads, and there will be an abundance of food to feed us and to even export somewhere else, so the rally is here to say reject GMOs.”

Meanwhile, the Unity Fountain, where Nigerians with permits are allowed to gather for peaceful protests and rallies, was shut against the campaigners.

Bassey said, “Locking up this fountain will not stop us. We will not be bullied into silence and we are saying no to GMOs.

Also speaking, Shehu Akowe, HOMEFs, project lead, said: “The essence of the rally was to create awareness on genetically engineered products and food and also inform the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (FCCPC) to take up their responsibilities to safeguard the rights of Nigerians.”