Nigeria’s GMO Debate: Food, Power, and Future

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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GMOs: A New Frontier for Food

Nigeria is currently at the center of a significant debate regarding the adoption of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crops. This discussion pits concerns about food sovereignty and potential “food colonialism” against arguments for achieving food security. The recent approval of GMO crops in Nigeria has ignited strong reactions, especially after a medical influencer, Chinonso Egemba, publicly promoted the benefits of GMOs. Photos of his meeting with Bill Gates, a major investor in African GMO technology, quickly resurfaced, fueling public outrage (africanews.com).

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are living things whose genetic material has been changed using genetic engineering techniques. This process is different from traditional breeding methods, which involve carefully selecting and breeding organisms with desired traits over many generations. Genetic engineering allows for the direct addition, removal, or modification of specific genes to create desired characteristics, often much faster than older methods (frontiersin.org). Biotechnological methods, including genetic engineering, can be used to increase the production of important crops (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Food Sovereignty: Local Control

Critics worry that the growing presence of GMOs, especially with foreign influence, could turn Nigeria into a “dumping ground for rejected genetic technologies.” They also fear it could make the nation “a hostage to the corporations that control our food supply” (guardian.ng). The introduction of GMOs is seen by some as a threat to traditional farming methods, local seed systems, and the independence of farmers. This could weaken food sovereignty by making farmers more dependent on large corporations for their farming supplies and seeds (environewsnigeria.com, guardian.ng).

Food sovereignty is the right of people to have healthy and culturally appropriate food. This food should be produced using environmentally sound and sustainable methods. It also includes their right to decide on their own food and agriculture systems. This concept puts local and national food economies and markets first. It empowers farmers, fishers, and pastoralists to control their seeds, land, water, and biodiversity. This idea is very different from a system where large corporations or international markets control food production and distribution (thebreakthrough.org). Concerns about maintaining local control over farming practices and resources are often part of the GMO debate in Africa (thebreakthrough.org).

Addressing Nigeria’s Hunger Crisis

Proponents of GMOs argue that these crops offer a workable solution to Nigeria’s increasing food insecurity. They point to the potential of GMOs to improve crop resilience and yields. Nigeria is currently facing a severe hunger crisis, with nearly 31 million people in urgent need of food (africanews.com). This makes the search for solutions extremely urgent. GMO crops are designed to have helpful traits, such as tolerance to droughts or resistance to insect attacks. These traits can improve farm yields, especially as global warming changes weather patterns (africanews.com).

The global market value of biotechnology stands at 295 billion USD, showing significant investment and research in this field (frontiersin.org). Factors that limit Africa’s agricultural potential can be addressed by combining biotechnology with traditional breeding methods (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). This suggests that GMOs could play a role in boosting food production and economic benefits, which are key parts of the discussion (thebreakthrough.org).

Understanding Food Colonialism

Critics have strong concerns about the potential for “neo-colonial” practices and foreign control over Nigeria’s food supply through the widespread adoption of GMO technology. Food colonialism or neo-colonialism in agriculture describes a situation where outside powers, often large multinational companies or developed nations, gain significant control over the food systems of developing countries. This can happen through forcing certain agricultural policies, the dominance of foreign-owned seed companies, or promoting technologies that create dependency. This undermines local food security and economic independence. Critics argue that this continues old patterns of exploitation, where resources and profits are taken from developing countries (frontiersin.org).

The dominance of Western companies in the GMO sector raises fears that Nigeria could become too reliant on foreign entities for its food supply (africanews.com). Strong intellectual property (IP) rights for genetically modified seeds mean that small farmers might face legal problems if they try to replant seeds from their GMO crops. This forces them to buy new seeds from abroad every year (africanews.com). Greenpeace and other environmental groups argue that GMOs can worsen food insecurity and threaten food and seed sovereignty. They do this by trapping farmers in debt cycles, which reduces their ability to produce more food (africanews.com).

Intellectual Property and Seed Control

Allegations exist that foreign institutions are trying to control the global food supply and impose “food colonialism” on Africa. This is supposedly done through GMOs, hybrid crops, and agricultural chemicals that harm the soil (guardian.ng). There are also concerns that the rise of RNA agriculture, which might involve spraying RNA on food products, could lead to a few biotechnology elites controlling the food supply. This could also change ecosystems in unpredictable ways (thepeoplesvoice.tv).

Intellectual Property (IP) rights on seeds, mainly through patents, give exclusive rights to the patent holder (often a biotechnology company) to produce, sell, and control the use of specific seed varieties. This means farmers who buy patented seeds are usually not allowed to save and replant them for future seasons, or to share them with others, without paying fees or buying new seeds. This can increase costs for small farmers, reduce their independence, and potentially make them dependent on seed companies (thebreakthrough.org). The financial impact on farmers, including the cost of seeds, is a significant part of the discussion (thebreakthrough.org).

RNA Agriculture: A New Method

RNA agriculture, especially RNA spraying, involves using RNA molecules (specifically, small interfering RNAs or siRNAs) to target and silence specific genes in pests or diseases. It can also be used to improve desired traits in plants. Unlike traditional GMOs, which directly change a plant’s DNA, RNA sprays deliver RNA molecules to the plant or pest from the outside. These RNA molecules then interfere with gene expression, leading to effects like pest death or increased crop yield. Concerns about environmental impact often focus on the possibility of unintended effects on non-target organisms or the environment (nature.com).

Public understanding of RNAi-based biopesticides being a genetically modified (GM) technology will likely affect how well they are accepted (nature.com). Strategies for building trust, sharing information, and engaging with the public are discussed in relation to how new agricultural technologies are accepted (nature.com). This highlights the importance of clear communication about these new technologies.

Experts are calling for an urgent national study to assess the spread of GMOs in Nigeria. They stress that such a study must be independent and free from the influence of foreign biotechnology interests. These interests are accused of affecting the country’s biosafety regulations (guardian.ng). Recommendations include a full plan to protect Nigeria’s biosecurity. This involves removing foreign influence from regulatory bodies, developing local GMO alternatives, and working together with the government, intelligence services, and research institutions (guardian.ng).

Nigeria’s Biosafety Regulation

Nigeria’s National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) states that approved GMOs are safe and regulated according to international standards. However, calls for independent assessment and the removal of foreign influence continue. The NBMA has declared that all approved GMOs in Nigeria are safe for both consumption and the environment. They also state that their regulations meet WHO and Codex standards (africanews.com).

The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) in Nigeria is the main regulatory body responsible for making sure that modern biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are used safely. Its job includes creating and carrying out biosafety rules, issuing permits for research, controlled field trials, and the commercial release of GMOs. It also monitors compliance and conducts risk assessments to protect human health and the environment. The NBMA’s power comes from national biosafety laws, which set up a system for governing and overseeing biotechnology products in the country (thebreakthrough.org). The importance of passing biosafety laws is emphasized for the successful commercialization of GM crops (thebreakthrough.org).

Calls for Independent Assessment

While the NBMA states that GMOs are safe, a complete understanding requires presenting independent scientific studies and data that either support or challenge these claims. This would involve reviewing research on potential health impacts, environmental effects, and long-term consequences of GMO cultivation and consumption. Such research should be conducted by various scientific bodies and researchers, not just by regulatory agencies or the industry (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Socioeconomic Impact on Farmers

To fully understand the socioeconomic impact of GMOs in Nigeria, it is important to provide data and case studies that show potential farmer debt cycles and corporate dependency. This would involve looking at changes in farmers’ income, their access to loans, the cost of seeds, and their relationship with seed suppliers. It would also examine the overall impact on local farming economies and traditional farming practices (thebreakthrough.org).

Raising awareness among farmers, especially farmer-based organizations, is important for the adoption of GM crops (thebreakthrough.org). The economic case for GM crops needs to be made, suggesting that the socioeconomic benefits and costs are a key part of the discussion (thebreakthrough.org). This highlights the need for clear data on how GMOs affect the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers.

Consumer Awareness and Labeling

Information on GMO labeling practices in Nigeria and the level of consumer awareness about the presence of GMOs in food products is crucial for consumers to make informed choices. This would involve investigating current labeling rules, conducting surveys on public understanding and perception of GMOs, and assessing how well communication strategies about biotechnology in the food supply are working (nature.com).

Public perception of RNAi-based biopesticides and their acceptance is influenced by potential concerns about their use and effects on crops and consumers (nature.com). Strategies for building trust, sharing information, and engaging with the public are discussed in relation to how new agricultural technologies are accepted (nature.com). This emphasizes the importance of transparency and public education in the GMO debate.

Environmental Impact and Alternatives

To address concerns about the environmental impact of GMO cultivation in Nigeria and Africa, specific data and studies are needed. This would include research on the effects of GMOs on biodiversity, soil health, water quality, patterns of pesticide use, and the potential for genes to spread to wild relatives. Such evidence-based assessments are essential for a balanced understanding of the ecological implications (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

When critics call for local GMO alternatives and biosecurity strategies, it is important to explain what these alternatives might involve and how feasible they are. This could include exploring traditional breeding programs, agroecological approaches, sustainable farming practices, and indigenous seed systems. It would also involve assessing their potential to meet food security needs and their economic and practical viability in the Nigerian context (frontiersin.org). A smart combination of biotechnological and conventional breeding approaches is suggested to address limitations in agricultural production (frontiersin.org).

Public Opinion and Stakeholders

To provide a complete view of the GMO debate in Nigeria, it is essential to present broader data on public opinion, farmer perspectives, and the nuanced government stance beyond just regulatory approvals. This would involve conducting surveys, interviews, and focus groups with various stakeholders. These include small-scale farmers, consumer groups, religious leaders, and different government ministries, to capture a more representative range of views and concerns (thebreakthrough.org).

Public opinion regarding GM crops is a factor in their commercialization across different countries (thebreakthrough.org). Interviews with stakeholders in Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, Malawi, and international advocacy groups were conducted to gather opinions (thebreakthrough.org). There was also a discussion about a campaign against the development of genetically modified crops in Nigeria and possible solutions to prevent it from happening again (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Economic Benefits of GMOs

To support claims of economic benefits from GMOs, such as improved yields and drought resistance, it is crucial to present statistical data and case studies from Nigeria. This would involve analyzing agricultural output, farmer incomes, and resilience to environmental stresses in areas where GMOs have been adopted, compared to traditional farming practices. This would provide concrete evidence of productivity gains and economic advantages (frontiersin.org).

Biotechnological techniques can be used to increase the production of important crops in Nigeria (frontiersin.org). The economic case for GM crops is highlighted as an important factor for their adoption (thebreakthrough.org). This suggests that clear data on economic gains would strengthen the arguments for GMO adoption.

GMO Adoption Across Africa

The debate over GMOs extends beyond Nigeria, with different approaches to their adoption across the African continent. South Africa is a leader in GMO adoption in Africa, with the highest number of approved GMO crops under cultivation (africanews.com). Other African countries, including Kenya and Ghana, have started trials of GMO technology (africanews.com).

Conversely, Algeria, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe have banned GMO cultivation and imports, citing risks to biodiversity (africanews.com). This shows a varied landscape of GMO acceptance and regulation across the continent. Nigeria has approved two GMO crops for sale and many more for trial, indicating a growing presence of the technology. Since 2024, Nigeria has approved two GMO crops, maize and cowpea, for sale (africanews.com). Additionally, 33 more crops have been approved for trial in Nigeria (africanews.com).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman has been a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.