Experts said on Friday that Genetically Modified (GM) foods are safe when approved for commercial release by competent regulatory authority.
The experts consisting of biotechnologists, scientists, agriculturists and other professionals said this during interviews in Abuja.
Their position came amid concerns by Nigerians about the safety of the genetically engineered foods.
GMO is a plant, animal, or microbe in which one or more changes have been made to their genetic makeup, using genetic engineering.
A food scientist and biotechnologist, Prof Sylvia Uzochukwu, clarified that the GM technology could also be used to remove or reduce toxins and allergens from food.
Uzochukwu, who is also the President of Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN), said that GM technology could also be used to improve nutrients in crops and increase yields.
She said that the technology could as well be used to protect biodiversity and the environment.
She added that GM crops can increase access to food through income gains, raise nutrition levels, and promote sustainable agriculture.
“Genetically modified crops have the potential to increase agricultural productivity on existing arable land and address issues of loss related to pests, disease and drought.
“The technology is one of the most important ones available that can reverse food insecurity in Nigeria, when correctly deployed,” she said.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the BSN, Prof. Vincent Tenebe said that the controversy surrounding safety of GMOs was a false narrative, propagated by anti-GMOs who don’t wish Nigeria or Africa to be food sufficient.
He alleged the issue was not about safety but business, adding that those against the technology were bent on keeping Africa perpetually reliant on food importation.
“God gave man the ability to change and modify to our own advantage and that is what we are doing with GMOs as biological scientists.
“Don’t be deceived by what anti-GMOs are telling you, GMO is natural, they are trying to bring confusing ideas whenever they see that Africa is about to have a breakthrough,” he said.
Tenebe, who is also the erstwhile Vice-Chancellor of National Open University of Nigeria, maintained that Africa remained the greatest centre of biodiversity, and its resources were in high demand.
He said contrary to opinions of those against GMOs, there was nothing wrong with GMO.
“As scientists, we are just trying to express what we have discovered from science and nobody can change it, and we must respect plants because through plants we have wisdom,” Tenebe added.
Similarly, TELA/BMSS Project Manager at the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Dr Sylvester Oikeh has cautioned anti-GMO activists against demonising GMOs, saying that GMO products were safe.
“My appeal is for us to stop demonising it and embrace the technology because it has come to stay.”
The AATF project manager said increased anti-GMO technology activism in Africa with efforts to stop African farmers from growing genetically engineered crops remained a major challenge.
“Genetically engineered crops like TELA maize are safe because of rigorous biosafety regulatory approval process involved.”
Another Nigerian scientist and Director, Biotechnology Advanced Research Centre, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, Abuja, Dr Andrew Iloh challenged GMO critics to substantiate their claims with empirical evidence.
Iloh dismissed as false narrative, the claim in some quarters that conventional crops would not grow where GM crops were planted.
“That’s not correct because even in my own laboratory, we planted beans; in fact we harvested GM Cowpea alongside normal cowpea this planting season.
“Before we did that, we tested the soil to look at the soil microbial content and soil nutritional content.
“After harvesting, we also conducted soil nutritional test because of the controversy that when you plant you cannot plant again there, so, we tested the soil nutritional component and nothing happened.
“As a matter of fact, there were more pesticide residues on the non-GM cowpea because that is the ones we sprayed more pesticides on,” Iloh said.
There have been concerns by a section of the population over the safety of the GM food and its compatibility with conventional crops.
The Executive Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nnimmo Bassey was recently quoted by media reports as saying that Nigeria did not need GMOs to address food insecurity.”
“The design of those crops does not support local economic growth but promotes dependency on corporate seed supply,” he said.
The Executive Director, Centre For Food Safety And Agricultural Research (CEFSAR), Prof. Qrisstuberg Amua alleged that “many of the GMO-induced foods do not digest and as such could cause colon cancer.
The GMOs, he said, could alter human’s natural features and further alleged that: “it can cause impotency, it can cause infertility for both men and women,” he said.
NAN
