By Promise Eze
Stakeholders have called for an outright ban of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), describing it as a threat to human and environmental health.
They made the call during a National Stakeholders’ Conference held in Abuja on Monday, tagged “Advancing Agroecology Principles and Practice in Nigeria.”
The stakeholders include farmers, researchers, civil society organisations, youth and women’s groups, policy advocates, and the media. They gathered to address the critical challenges confronting Nigeria’s food systems and agricultural sustainability.
They said agroecology, a natural and sustainable way of farming, was common in Nigerian communities before modern farming with chemicals took over.
In his welcome remarks, Nnimmo Bassey, Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), an ecological think tank, noted that the deployment of GMOs fosters dependence on corporate entities for seeds and food.
“GMOs, as well as the use of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilisers, distract attention from the real solution which starts from a rethinking of our ways of farming to designing a system that is aligned with nature; one that respects the rights of Mother Earth as well as the rights of food producers; a system that is diverse and inclusive; a system that repairs and nourishes the broken ecosystems. All these and more are encompassed in Agroecology,” he said.
He emphasising that “the goal is not only to achieve food security but, much more importantly, to achieve food sovereignty where access to bountiful, healthy and culturally appropriate food is guaranteed and the people are in control of the food, including by being involved in decision-making processes.”
The stakeholders, who noted that true food security cannot be achieved without local control over food systems, seeds and agricultural processes, want the government to guarantee food sovereignty by creating policies that protect farmers’ rights and agricultural autonomy.
“The goal is not to achieve food security but food sovereignty, where healthy food is guaranteed, and that people are in control of their seed and food systems. Food sovereignty must take precedence over mere food security,” they said in a communique.
They also recommended that Nigerians embrace subsistence farming in their homes, support local food systems, and advocate for healthy food choices.
They called for structured youth training programmes in agroecology to ensure the intergenerational transfer of indigenous knowledge and sustain Nigeria’s cultural food systems.
“Government and relevant authorities need to address growing insecurity and lack of access to land for farmers, particularly women and youth, by ensuring secure, equitable land tenure systems and protection for farming communities,” they recommended.
