It has been a debate, are we ready for a genetically modified organism? Personal I don't think we need it. But experts believe we are. Reason being that For every laudable evolutionary agricultural discovery in Africa and the globe, Nigeria has either missed out of the pudding completely, or takes a queue from behind, a decision many agriculturalists have found appalling and a setback for national development.
Thus
Recently, Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, announced that the country has finally resolved to join the rest of the world to start harnessing bio-technology. He said Nigeria will increase its food production with the use of Genetically Modified (GM) crops.
Most analysts believe the decision is belated given that not a few African countries had already started benefiting a great deal from bio-technology driven farming system or GM crops for over a decade now.
The minister said, “a regulatory system will be put in place to adequately test the technology. But then, the bio-safety act that passed by the Senate is yet to be signed into law by President Jonathan. Further, he assured that, “When the bill is eventually signed into law, it will also play a significant role.”
Considering the positive impact of GM crops on some farming communities around the world, Adesina’s proclamation on it ignited ‘mix-grill’ reactions among stakeholders in the agricultural sector just as issues of GM food had done around the world.
Ever since GMOs resurfaced on national and international discourse, specific ‘unhealthy’ debates, arguments and criticisms have ensued as to whether or not consumers should accept GM foods.
Global media have launched intensive campaign against anti-GM technology because according to them, there have been no traces of any disease caused by the consumption of GM diets, to justify the claims.
Protagonists of GM foods have tended to highlight its numerous advantages even in the face of stiff oppositions by some European countries. Whereas observers believe the United States of America champions the campaign and promotion of the consumption GM foods, Europe has vehemently opposed its consumption. Ironically, the same Europe prefers to lend support to the use of bio-technology in agriculture.
This contradiction has prompted some nagging questions chief among them: What is bio-technology all about as the GMOs?
It is obvious that issues on GM foods between Europe and America, as seen by many analysts, are simply an ego problem and the quest to woo economic benefits. The result invariably leads to their toying with the interest of the rest of the world to the detriment of global food security. Their contradictory stance mocks the projected determination to achieve food security by 2050 when as much as 9 billion people are expected to be on earth.
Isn’t it rational for people to gain insight into an issue before cricitising it? Or is the world losing confidence in scientific research and discoveries? Should we blindly discard innovations and innovative ideas just because they at first don’t seem right to us? One had thought we should draw strength from previous findings that later benefited humanity?
As for Nigeria, if the government is that skeptical about GM foods for citizens, which seems obvious, what would they say is wrong with adoption of genetic modification in cotton production, which is non-edible?
The argument on cotton is imperative because Nigeria could derive huge windfall, especially in northern part of the country where cotton could be easily cultivated. Even at present, farmers in the north made huge proceeds from exporting the commodity. Remember the illustrious Kaduna Textile Industry, and how its eventual closure had a multiplier effects on families as thousands were rendered jobless?
Many have asserted that the fastest means of achieving food sufficiency, food security and rescuing the rural poor from the pangs of hunger, lies with bio-technology driven agricultural system. Scientists have listed several usefulnesses of GM foods but have said nothing really negative about their consumption.
From available records, while genetic manipulation of foods can be traced throughout history, the modern marvels of GMOs and transgenic plants have come to light in just the last few decades. In the 1980’s, scientific discovery proved that specific pieces of DNA could be transferred from one organism to another. This became the basis of the genetic modification process.
In 1983, the first transgenic plant, a tobacco plant resistant to antibiotics was created. Then, genetically engineered cotton was successfully field-tested in 1990. Five years later, Monsanto, then leading bio-tech Company, introduced herbicide-immune soybeans otherwise known as “Round-Up-Ready”.
The promise of genetic modification was enhanced even further in 2000, when scientist discovered that the modification process could be used to introduce nutrients and vitamins to enrich foods. Today, biotechnology and the process of genetic modification is emerging and advancing throughout the planet.
“As at 2004, genetically modified crops were being grown by 8.25 million farmers in 17 countries. Commercially, four genetically modified crops dominate global biotech agriculture with soybeans accounting for 60% of GM crop area, maize accounting for 23% of GM crop area, cotton accounting for 11% of GM crop area, and canola accounting for 6% of GM crop area (James, 2004).”
With the above statistics, what other conviction do we need to accept GM crops, not only as consumers but as producers?
For Nigeria in particular and Africa as a whole, bio-technology, GMO or whatever it is called, needs priority now, if the continent must exploit the abundant-vast arable agricultural lands and harness the myriad of available crops to engage and feed its teeming population.
The challenges for Africa are enormous. It is projected that by the year 2050, the population will double to two billion people while the land available for cultivation will decrease by two thirds.
These two factors combined raise the question of how to produce food and nutrition for the growing population. Moreover, this will also affect the development of the volatile African economy, since 65 per cent of its labour force and 32 per cent of its gross domestic products currently come from the agricultural sector.
In recent years, however, a remarkable change has occurred. Many countries on the African continent have refocused and strengthened their areas of strength and have accordingly gained comparative advantage, thanks to genetically modified crops. While North and South America and Asia are well-known growers of GM crops, Few Africa countries, sadly Nigeria inclusive, somewhat lack behind in the latest biotechnological developments.
As far back as 1998, South Africa became the first African country to approve genetically modified (BT) cotton and is now the eighth largest producer of GM crops worldwide. Since then, more and more African countries have followed suit.
Although only three other African countries – Egypt, Sudan and Burkina Faso – are currently producing GM crops, many more African countries are investing in research and field trials. Even countries that used to oppose GMOs have altered their tough stance and have embraced the new technology for food security.
For example, in May 2013, after banning GM crop imports the year before, Kenya announced that it would rethink its stance and begin field trials in the coming year with GM bananas engineered to resist bacterial disease.
Also, a lot of research is being conducted into indigenous parasites and plant diseases, which used to cause large-scale crop damage. In Nigeria for instance, the pest Marucavitrata causes crop damage worth nearly USD 300 million annually. Scientists from the Ahmadu Bello University in northern Nigeria have developed a pest-resistant black-eyed pea variety to control this particular insect.
Similarly, in Uganda, Xanthomonas wilt that has affected banana plants and costs farmers several hundred million US dollars annually. But, Ugandan researchers are currently working on a transgenic banana to control Xanthomonas.
Of course, this experience prompted discussions about the pros and cons of GM crops in Uganda. For example, a biotechnology and bio-safety bill was hotly debated by lawmakers, scientists and activists, but finally passed at the end of 2012.
This was also the case in Nigeria, where tensions over GM crops ran high and a bio-safety law that was to be ratified at the end of 2012 was halted. However, in June it was announced that President Goodluck Jonathan will sign the bill, while the Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Ita Okon Bassey Ewa, added that the most populous African country will start selling GM crops by 2015.
On the other hand, for Africa, the benefits outweigh the costs. Keep in mind that genetically modified crops help increase yields and reduce input costs, thus, growing more food in less time, with less money, and labour.
These foods will not only be produced in more quantity but can also have a longer shelf life with less labour and natural materials (water, soil, and energy) to produce. These modified food crops can produce the needed better nutritional foods that African people need.
It will generate vast improvement in food security and ensure availability of sufficient food for its hunger-ravaged Africans. This could be a huge relief for Africans and indeed Nigeria which is blessed with arable lands, dynamic and ever adventurous population.
