US-based man begs Nigerian farmers against GMO maize, gives 6 reasons
Yinka ADETUNJI
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) maize variety named TELA, was recently introduced in Nigeria following a formal launch by the Federal Government amid enthusiasm that it would revolutionize maize production in the country.
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The Tela maize was developed at the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna state, in collaboration with the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF), funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners.
At the launch in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the government will only do things that will promote the citizens’ welfare, health, and security.
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Senator Abdullahi stated, “It is significant for us to realise that the technology we are talking about today is Nigeria-driven, and whatever concerns that Nigerians are expressing are not unfounded. There is no technology that has come anew and does not receive pushback. It is normal.”
Also, Chairman of the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF) Board of Trustees, Professor Aggrey Ambali, said Nigeria’s newly launched Tela maize variety will bridge the country’s annual maize production deficit.
“Developing and commercialising this transgenic maize variety, Nigeria’s journey to food security and better livelihood for farmers is achievable,” he said.
However, the introduction of the Tela maize variety has received flak from various quarters with call on farmers to steer clear of it giving various reasons among which is its health implications.
Against this backdrop, another Nigerian based in the United States of America, Samson Idowu, has added his voice of dissent positing that adopting Tela maize would destroy the basis of Nigeria’s maize production.
He argued that the variety which originated in the US is not adopted by European countries saying they are aware of the evil consequences of cultivating it.
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In a message to ogbomosoinsightonline.com after reading a report earlier by the medium he stated, “If there is a way to educate farmers not to use GMO seeds, it would be beneficial. There are no nutritional benefits in eating GMO produce, they are dangerous to the health of consumers. Also, it destroys the soil and makes farmers reliant on chemicals and fertilizers for sustainable farming while continually dependent on such seeds.
“Most countries in Europe don’t eat nor buy US GMO products. Bill Gates is evil, he doesn’t mean well for Africa and black peoples in diaspora.”
Ogbomoso Insight reports, quoting the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), that at least 33 major food crops have been genetically modified globally, of which four (maize, cowpea, cotton and soybean) have been officially approved for commercialisation by the Nigerian authorities. It is the second African country after South Africa that has introduced the Tela maize variety.
