The Home of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has renewed its call for increased investment in agroecology and organic farming, urging the Nigerian government to review existing genetically modified organism (GMO) approvals and strengthen biosafety governance amid growing concerns over food security, food safety, and food sovereignty.
The call was made during a media training on Biosafety and Agroecology in Nigeria, themed “Nigeria’s Food Future,” which brought together media professionals, civil society groups, and experts to discuss the country’s food systems and agricultural policies.
Speaking at the event, HOMEF Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, warned against what he described as “food colonialism,” arguing that multinational corporations were increasingly influencing Nigeria’s food system through patented seeds and corporate-controlled technologies.
“Smallholder farmers produce more than 80 per cent of the food consumed in Nigeria, yet there are strong vested interests trying to increase dependency on patented seeds and corporate-controlled technology. This is why we describe it as food colonialism,” Bassey said.
He questioned the transparency of GMO approval processes and called for stronger oversight of biosafety regulations.
“The question is, who is really in charge? If another agency can approve GMOs outside the established regulatory process, where are we in terms of biosafety?” he asked.
Bassey maintained that agroecology offers a sustainable pathway to food sovereignty, biodiversity conservation, and environmental protection.
“Agroecology is a viable pathway for ecological sustainability and food sovereignty. It recognises farmers’ knowledge, protects biodiversity and strengthens local economies,” he added.
Also speaking, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Akinbode Oluwafemi, urged caution in the adoption of genetically modified organisms, citing concerns that have prompted several countries to adopt precautionary measures.
“There have been global concerns about the health implications of genetically modified organisms across the world, and many countries are taking precautionary steps. We do not want the Nigerian government to open our food system to issues of concern. We want the precautionary principle to apply in Nigeria,” Oluwafemi said.
He stressed the need to protect indigenous seeds and local food systems from increasing corporate influence.
“Local farmers are responsible for over 80 per cent of the food we consume in Nigeria. There is an attempt to take over our food chain and food system by corporations outside our shores. It rests on the Nigerian people and government to protect our food environment, our indigenous seeds and our indigenous crops,” he said.
According to him, food is deeply connected to culture, identity and traditional knowledge.
“Food is not just food. Food is about identity. Food is about our culture. We have yam festivals and harvest festivals. We cannot, because of corporate influence, abandon local knowledge for what we are not absolutely sure is healthy for our people,” he added.
Public health expert, Dr. Ifeanyi Casmir, emphasized that debates around genetically modified crops should not focus solely on food security but must also address food safety and food sovereignty.
“Food security is just one leg of the tripod. You must also look at food safety and food sovereignty. If, because of one leg of the tripod, you jettison the other two, then there are very germane reasons for us to be circumspect about genetically modified crops in Nigeria,” Casmir said.
He explained that genetic modification alters crop composition and can introduce new proteins that may trigger allergic reactions.
“The non-GM and the GM are not the same. Because modification leads to changes in protein function and introduces novel proteins into plants, one key thing that could happen is allergenicity,” he stated.
Casmir further warned that proprietary control of seeds could undermine the country’s food system and disadvantage smallholder farmers.
“If you take away control and make access to seeds very difficult and cost-prohibitive, you have destroyed our food system. Smallholder farmers are the people who feed the world, and they must not be pushed aside through proprietary control of staple crops,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the use of herbicides and pesticides associated with some GMO farming systems.
“Over 80 per cent of GM crops depend on the use of herbicides and pesticides. Several of these herbicides are now known to be carcinogenic. When crops retain residues of these chemicals and end up on our tables, people are exposed to those toxins through consumption,” he added.
In her remarks, HOMEF Programme Director, Joyce Brown, said Nigeria was at a critical crossroads in determining how to tackle food insecurity and climate change challenges.
“We seem to be at a crossroads in Nigeria and largely in Africa as to which pathway we need to take in responding to food insecurity and climate change challenges. There are efforts towards promoting agroecology, while some actors are strongly pushing GMOs,” Brown said.
She stressed the need for a clear policy direction.
“We are advocating for a concrete decision. We can’t be on the fence and we can’t be both ways,” she added.
Presenting the communiqué at the end of the training, Associate Director of CAPPA, Ogunlade Olamide Martins, said participants resolved to advocate for a comprehensive review of GMO approvals and biosafety governance measures in Nigeria.
“Participants resolved to advocate for a comprehensive review of GMO approvals and biosafety governance measures in Nigeria, while promoting transparency, public participation and independent risk assessment in all biosafety decision-making processes,” Martins said.
He added that stakeholders were calling on the government to halt new GMO approvals pending independent assessments.
“We demand that government enforce a moratorium on all GMO approvals and ensure no new approvals are made without independent, long-term and peer-reviewed assessments, including feeding trials, performance trials, and environmental and social impact assessments,” he stated.
Martins further noted that participants advocated greater support for agroecology and the protection of farmers’ rights to indigenous seeds.
“Participants called for the protection of farmers’ rights to save, exchange and reuse indigenous seeds, while recognizing agroecology as a strategic pillar of Nigeria’s agricultural transformation and increasing investment in agroecological research, training and innovation,” he said.
Communiqué Summary
Participants called for a comprehensive review of GMO approvals and biosafety governance in Nigeria, greater transparency in decision-making, and independent scientific assessments before any new GMO approvals are granted. They also advocated a moratorium on new GMO approvals, increased investment in agroecology, and stronger protection of farmers’ rights to save, exchange, and reuse indigenous seeds as part of efforts to strengthen food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture in Nigeria.