AfriPulse
Farmers and civil society organisations in Bakassi Council of Cross River State have called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ban the importation and cultivation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria.
They warned that the continued use of GMOs pose serious risks to human health, soil fertility and the nation’s food sovereignty.
The appeal was made during a sensitisation and training session organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), in collaboration with the Peace Point Development Foundation (PPDF) and the Bakassi Returning IDP Community Association (IDPCA).
Director of Programmes at HOMEF, Joyce Brown, said the programme was designed to educate farmers on the dangers of GMOs and promote the use of organic fertilisers and natural pest control methods.
She said many farmers were unaware of the long-term effects of GMOs and warned that dependence on genetically modified seeds would erode traditional farming practices and make farmers reliant on multinational corporations.
“With GMOs, farmers must buy seeds every season instead of replanting what they harvest. This destroys local seed systems and undermines food independence,” she said.
Brown noted that several studies had linked GMO consumption to health challenges, including liver and kidney complications, immune disorders and cancers. She urged the government to suspend further approvals until independent research proves the products’ safety.
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National Youth Coordinator of the Bakassi Returning IDP Community Association, Asuquo Okon, shared his experience with chemical fertilisers and pesticides, saying they have reduced the productivity of his farmland.
“In 2022, I used fertiliser and pesticide on my crops. The first year, the yield was good, but the following year, nothing grew. These chemicals are destroying our soil,” he lamented.
Coordinator of the Peace Point Development Foundation, Mr. Umo Isua-Ikoh, faulted NAFDAC for inconsistency in its position on GMOs, noting that the agency had once declared them unsafe before changing its stance.
He stressed that food insecurity in Nigeria is driven more by insecurity and poor access to farmland than by low yields.
Leader of Bakassi Legislative Council, Grace Bassey, described the training as timely and pledged support for a local petition seeking a ban on GMOs.
Brown added that HOMEF had carried out similar sensitisation campaigns in Edo, Enugu and Kano states, noting that the initiative would be expanded across Cross River State.
Source: Guardian Nigeria | Read the Full Story…
