Few weeks ago, the chairman Global Prolife Alliance (GPA), Dr Philip C. Njemanze, sent a petition to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, titled “National Security Threat: Biotech Terrorism Using GMO Seeds.”
In the petition letter seen by Daily Trust, Dr Njemanze alleged that “the approval of GMO seeds by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) is contributing to insecurity in Nigeria, as biotechnology companies allegedly sponsor terrorists to eliminate natural seed growers – farmers. The Biotech mercenaries track the farmers using Electronic Wallets – cell phones.”
He also alleged that “the attacks on cowpea production areas aim to replace natural seeds with genetically modified cowpeas (GM-cowpeas) approved by the NBMA.”
The GPA also claimed that “children and adults consuming products like cornflakes or cornmeal made from this GMO corn may face sterilization. The Epicyte gene, inserted into GMO seeds, poses a threat to public feeding programs, especially affecting children in Home-Grown School Feeding initiatives. Millions of Nigerians could become infertile, leading to a surge in fertility clinics, often sponsored by foreign biotechnology owners.”
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The letter attracted several rebuttals by plant biotech experts including the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN), Genetic Society of Nigeria (GSN), National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) and the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).
Prof Abdullahi Mustapha, Director General/CEO, NABDA said the “letter’s incendiary language linking GMOs with terrorism is highly concerning. It spreads misinformation and fear without scientific basis” adding that “biotechnology improves crops through very precise changes at the molecular level to introduce beneficial traits.”
“As plant biotechnology promoter and expert, I strongly urge you not to heed this scientifically unfounded advice. Genetically modified crops are not a national security threat or form of biotech terrorism. They have been rigorously tested and regulated before commercial release to ensure safety for human health and the environment.
“Transgenic Cowpea and TELA maize were developed by Nigerian scientists to benefit our nation’s smallholder farmers. The transgenic cowpea is resistant to destructive pod borers, which typically destroy 80 percent of cowpea crops. This can help farmers boost their yields significantly. TELA maize is drought tolerant and resistant to fall army worm to enable farmers optimize yield and profits. Withdrawing these crops would deprive farmers of tools to improve their livelihoods and food security,” he stated.
A Professor of Food Science and Biotechnology and the President of the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN), Sylvia Uzochukwu, opined that contrary to the allegation that transgenic crops constitute a national security concern, it is important to stress that the commercial release of genetically modified organisms is subject to rigorous scientific reviews and regulatory processes. These crops are rigorously tested for safety before being released to the market, guaranteeing that they satisfy the highest standards.
“There is international scientific consensus on GM crop safety, upheld by regulatory agencies and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine globally, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the American Academy of Science, African Science Academies, European Academies of Science and many others. Nigeria’s genetically modified products have also passed the usual rigorous biosafety assessments before approval for commercial planting.”
The biotech society called on the lawmakers “not to limit access to innovations that can alleviate poverty and ensure sustainable food security for the country. Nigerian and international scientists have developed responsible, regulated solutions that guarantee better lives for smallholder farmers through modern crop breeding methods. Please always consider the national implications and support our farmers and the general consuming public by maintaining policies guided by science.”
The scientists asserted that there is no scientific proof or reputable research to back up the assertions that crops were genetically altered utilizing RNA interference to cause infertility in people, specifically in the black population or any other racial or ethnic group.
They asserted that crops have been genetically engineered for a variety of goals, including increased yield, pest and disease resistance, and nutritional value, noting that their research and commercialization are subjected to stringent examination and regulation to assure human and animal safety as well as environmental sustainability.
Professor Uzochukwu also called on the Senate President to “rely on scientifically backed information from reputable sources when evaluating such claims. The video was intentionally made to distort the truth or facts around RNA interference technology. The claims made in the video on the possibility of crops being genetically engineered using RNA interference (RNAi) to cause infertility; specifically targeting certain populations is erroneous and completely lacks scientific merits or proofs.”
Also responding to the GPA letter, Dr. Rose Gidado Maxwell, a biotech expert, said that before a genetically modified crop (GM) is released, it must go through rigorous safety testing. Nigeria has implemented biosafety regulations and a biosafety agency to enforce them, as required by the Cartagena Protocol. GM crops are evaluated for their potential to harm both human health and the environment. To that purpose, biosafety professionals supervise laboratory and field experiments that are specifically designed to meet rules agreed upon by the government agency and the worldwide communities.
“Their results are analyzed by the national regulatory authorities, drawing on assistance from experts in the disciplines that required to properly analyse the data. The chemical composition of the GM crop is compared to the composition of its sister line; if differences other than the ones intended by the transgene are found, then the GM crop is denied approval,” she stated.
Dr. Gidado described this analysis as a substantial equivalence compositional examination, which is typically conducted in accordance with guidelines provided by international regulatory organizations like the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a body established by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The genetic composition of genetically modified crops is always examined and submitted for assessment to the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) in Nigeria as the agency is the competent national authority on safety of the technology.
With years of experience in the field of biotechnology, and as the director, Agricultural Biotechnology Department, NABDA, Dr. Gidado characterized the GPA letter as a distortion of the truth, intended to mislead the public and incite opposition to the technology. She further noted that anti-GM activists and their non-governmental organizations have been using similar tactics.
Dr. Gidado posited that because Nigerian experts at the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, have done extensive research, the country has never had any harmful effects from farmers using Pod Bora Resistant cowpea and Bt. cotton technology in Nigeria.