There is a report out now on GM crops and Green Revolution in Africa published by the think tank Chatham House. Download here.
In our Science & Technology section we carried the story. See here.
This has made this blog decided to re-publish an article which ought to have spurred a debate and public dialogue which the Nigerian consumers/public/activists are yet to have on the suitability of Genetically Modified Crops in Nigeria.
Nigeria scandalously quiet on GM –Fapohunda
Prof Dele Fapohunda, a Biotechnologist, Founder
and President, Safe Food and Feed Foundation, is an ardent advocate of safe
foods. In this interview with News Editor, ONCHE ODEH, he decries the quietness
of Nigerian government and experts over issues of Genetic Modification (GM) of
foods, despite evidences that they are flooding the country, among other issues
on the global GM controversies. Excerpts.
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| Professor Dele Fapounda |
What do you make of the controversies
surrounding Genetically Modified (GM) Foods?
First, let us start with the genesis of all this. The
project started in the 1960s when attention of the financiers was focused on
the hungry millions of people in India, Mexico, the Philippines and Africa.
High yielding varieties of rice and wheat were to be developed with genetic
modification, and heavy input of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. This
is why the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) was formed in the
Philippines. It was alleged that widespread corruption and insecurity were twin
factors that did not allow the experiment to succeed in Africa. The
Consultative Group on International Agriculture (CGIAR), a research and aid organization, has been very active and visible in the initiative that
concentrated on producing high yielding varieties. This commendable initiative of
reducing starvation among the world’s poor then by experts was led by Norman
Borlaug, now called the father of Green Revolution. As we speak, some countries
are large producers and major world exporters of the monoculture and many
ready-to-eat foods, which are now GM.
Why is the project being opposed now?
Opponents insist that the foods are unnatural and an
unacceptable because they meddle with the natural biological processes. They
therefore continued to create a ‘fear effect’ in the mind of consumers. Many
citizen groups are daily calling for Genetic Engineering (GE)- free zones
around the world and vote instead for conventional organic agriculture. Health
and environmental concerns have heightened of recent, with Rights groups taking
many governments to court. This has happened in USA and in the Philippines.
Although they noted that increased food production meant people no longer die
of hunger, they, however, are dying of malnutrition as some of the new improved
varieties lack essential nutrients like iron and vitamin A resulting in food
and nutrition related morbidity. Since this form of agriculture also
depends on huge doses of pesticides and fertilizers, death of fish, as well as
health impacts to human consumers through allergies and cancers are equal
sources of concern. Pesticide residues are regularly monitored by the WHO and
FAO because built-in pesticides cannot be removed from agriculture
produce. Also this large input of petrochemicals and emergence of
secondary pests, which ultimately shoot up production costs, has widened the
gap between the rich and poor. The emerging economic challenge has led to the
migration of small holder farmers and landless farm workers to urban
settlements.
Is it true GM foods are being rejected?
That’s very correct, and there are practical cases of
rejection of GM corn from one country by another. Hormone-fattened cattle are
also being rejected in Europe. This year, the government of Hungary destroyed
thousand s of GM corn fields and gone proceeded to tighten control as dairy cow
feeds. Sometimes the protests have gone violent, for example, a wheat farm was
destroyed by protesters in Australia in 2011. Vandalism against the
experimental stations was also reported in the Philippines in 2013. Such
violent act on laboratories, and field experimental stations had also happened
in the USA and Europe. There are many non-violent groups like Friends of the
Earth, Union of Concerned Scientists, Food and Water Watch, Institute of
Responsible Technology, Organic Consumers Association.
But supporters have continued to allay
fears?
Yes, supporters have accused opponents of relying on results
of unverified junk research. There are recent researches on animal field trials
citing many feeding studies conducted by public research laboratories which
concluded that there are no safety problems linked to long-term consumption of
genetically modified food. The anti GM activists had advised that GM food
should be banned, or accordingly labelled to afford consumers the opportunity
to make choices. In what speaks of the contrary, a report quoted, Hamburg, a
very senior official of the FDA in March as saying that the FDA hasn’t changed
its position on GMOs, despite two decades’ worth of studies linking GMOs, and
the pesticides and herbicides required to grow them, to everything from
allergies to cancer, Hamburg said the FDA has “not found evidence of safety
risks” associated with GMOs. Therefore there is no need to specially label GM
food as so.
Sincerely, what do you think is the
future of GM?
That is a difficult question for me because a highly probing
review of the Green Revolution package has revealed a tough divergence of
opinions, each equally seemingly convincing. Intricacies and complexities
involved in assessment of food security have thrown up bitter divergence in the
role of a critical aspect of Green Revolution. The vehement and frontally
tendentious divide is capable of threatening the financial base of some
international companies and capable of rocking the political stability of the world
if not well managed. Remember that big names and corporate bodies are involved.
Money and politics are twin characters on the table that serve as platform of
presentation that paraded the potential of blinding and neutralizing each side
of the argument. Huge financial commitment has been made over the years and
such investment cannot just be overlooked by any latter-day criticism. But the
question remains: Can we say the conception and execution of the project is
sincere, ab initio? Sometimes the
claims and counter claims can be alarming with profound implications for
example the opponents insisted that contrary to claims, it is indeed
scientifically proven that the dangers and long term health implications far
outweigh so called benefits.
But Norman Bourlaug, the brilliant man at the centre
dismissed negative claims as ranting of the uninformed, describing the
critics as armchair opponents who never witnessed nor experience
penury and hunger. He believed that if they lived just one month amid the misery
of the developing world, as he did for fifty years, they’d be crying out for
tractors and fertilizer and irrigation canals and be outraged that fashionable
elitists back home were trying to deny them these things. He admitted the
project has not turned the world into a Utopia, but equally insisting that it
was a step in the right direction.
What is the position of Nigeria on
this?
Many countries are involved in the two sides.
These include France, Finland, India, Switzerland, Peru, Italy, Greece, Spain,
Austria, Russia, Australia, Hungary and South Africa. I am not sure of the stand of Nigerian government, scientists and the
business group on this. And this loud silence to me is scandalous, when one
considers the rate at which many GM foods flood into Nigeria. Meanwhile, this
scientific and economic battle rage in other parts of the world, and Nigeria
still continues to battle with issues of corruption and insecurity,
unfortunately the twin factors that enhance national retrogression I just got a
report now that the next phase of the Green Revolution is targeting Africa,
through a grain research centre in Mexico, and that could be sooner than
expected. Are we ready to accept or criticize, based on verifiable facts? Food
safety activists like us will do their best to sensitize Nigerians and we are
open to collaboration with similar minds in this crusade.
This article originally appeared in Daily Independent newspaper. See here.
For further information on Genetically Modified crops view this The Guardian UK interview with Nigeria's Nnimmo Bassey, head of Friends of the Earth International. Watch video.
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