Nigeria’s GMO Foods Debate And Why Our Experts Should Lead It

Good People, it is science and we can all learn about GMO foods. I decided to write on GMO foods to deepen the debate. My position remains that what you are banning is already a practice in Nigeria.

Here is the deal: if you can get an interview with the Director of IITA Ibadan to speak on the records, on Nigeria’s progress on GMO, I will cover your travel to Ibadan, from any part of Nigeria, for that interview. IITA is the world’s finest institution on tropical foods. I will also cover another interview with the head of National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI). Specifically, the interview should focus on GMO cassava and yams in Nigeria.

I am just an engineer and know nothing about agriculture. Yet, I do not want to rely on commoners like me to make important scientific decisions for the nation. If we poison science in Nigeria, we destroy the future. We can decide not to pursue GMO but it must be done from the angle of thought-leadership. Nigeria is already a GMO nation; click here .

Public Notice of IITA Cassava Confined Field Trial Application

“In accordance with the National Biosafety Management Agency Act 2015 (as amended), requiring public display of any biosafety application, for permit to intentionally release genetically modified organisms (GMOs), for comments, the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) hereby announces a twenty-one (21) day public notice on the display of an application dossier by International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Oyo State for the Confined field trial of cassava Genetically Modified to increase storage root yield. The display, with effect from 3rd September 2021 to 25th September 2021, is to enable the public to make input that would facilitate informed decision on the application.”

NBMA possibly approved this and IITA possibly did what it had to do. In your interview, ask the experts the results. As I wrote, this GMO thing has been around, and not just an American wonder which just came!

Let us debate with civility and not use “BAN” as a strategy! This is not to say that I support or not support GMO; I just want to defend the scientific process.

What is Going on with the GMO Food Debate in Nigeria?

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