Food and agricultural experts under the aegis of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEf) and the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) have rejected policy manipulation that has given nod to the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) cowpea, popularly known as beans.
The experts described the approval of genetically modified cowpea for commercial production and consumption in Nigeria as an attack on the way of life of Nigerians.
Speaking during an online press conference monitored by The New Diplomat, Monday, Director of HOMEF, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, lamented the high risks associated with GM beans.
According to him, food in Nigeria is central to culture and important to the citizens, hence the need for the government to reject attempts by some foreign powers to test GM crops in the country and Africa at large.
Bassey explained that food as an integral part of African culture, should not be seen as a mere commodity or chemical products made from a factory or laboratory.
The Nigerian government had in December 2019 approved the genetically modified cowpea variety known as Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea (PBR cowpea) or SAMPEA-20T for commercial production.
Cowpea is a high protein orphan crop consumed by an estimated 200 million people in Africa daily. It’s usually cooked and eaten with carbohydrate sources like plantain and rice.
Nigeria is Africa’s largest producer and consumer of cowpea. But the country’s annual production deficit of cowpea grains stands at more than 500,000 metric tonnes. Various reasons are said to be responsible for this, but some analysts have hinged the development on destruction caused to cowpea farms by the Maruca pod borer pest.
Speaking on the development, Bassey explained that the introduction of GM plants in the country means the citizens will not have access to natural foods.
He further added that this could expose many people to health issues, calling for a proper labelling of products to give the citizens the right to choose what they eat.
In his words, “Basically, genetic engineering in food, crops or animals means producing varieties that are never in existence and cannot be found in nature. And so you are talking about artificial living beings and things that have been artificially manipulated. This should send some signals to everyone that we are dealing with things that are not natural. And because we are not artificial beings, whatever is not natural, would naturally not work well with us.”
Bassey continued: “It has often be said that one of the ways to colonized a people is by dismantling their culture. This pathway is often effective for building dependency and disrupting the systems that organically secure populations in countries, intensive agricultural and food systems. The disruption is most effective when staple crops such as Cowpeas or beans are targeted and appropriated and presented as merchandise. Food is also fast becoming and instrument of control and power. Science has been used as a tool for the introduction of foods of dubious values and quality.
“The press to solve perceived problems through artificial means introduces new problems and we all know this. Some of these problems can become intractable. Today, we see unrelenting forces seeking to control our food and agricultural systems that has disregard for indigenous knowledge, natural cycles, our diversities and livelihoods of communities. We are very concerned that food is being seen as a mere commodity or a mechanical or chemical products made from a factory or laboratory. The truth is that eating is not just swallowing to satisfy hunger, food has deep cultural and spiritual… influence with special significance evident in many religious observances. Food is central to our culture,” The HOMEF Director added.
Speaking also, a medical Laboratory Scientist & Public Health Analyst, Dr. Casmir Ifeanyi, rejected debates that the approval of genetically modified cowpea will boost the production of beans in the country.
According to him, Nigerians were deceived to believe that the Maruca pest is responsible for the low production of beans in the country. He said contrary to the debate, the low production of beans in the country is caused by the insurgency in Northeastern part of the country.
He added that the emergence of Boko Haram, a deadly terrorist organisation and bandit groups have resulted into farmers fleeing their farms. He said that the places known for producing beans in the past are not doing so again following the persistence attacks on the communities by Boko haram.
In his words, “When we discuss genetic engineering particularly for food crops, I consider for some things being put at risk and my position about it, that we’re actually putting the whole stream of life at risk. What are they?, human, animal plants and environmental health are being put up for experimentation. You see, the problem we have in Nigeria is that we have a very terrible perspective to solving a problem. When I was growing up in Nigeria, we had a local beans produced somewhere in the present day Yobe state. It was a type of beans well sought out for. Again, we had what was also known as Kotangora beans produced somewhere in present in Niger State, they were all well sought out for.
“Today, amongst other places, these two major towns I mentioned renowned for beans production including some others in northwestern Nigeria, up towards Sokoto axis, it is no longer habitable places, they’ve been overtaken by insurgents. And so what distrupted beans production in Nigeria is not maruca. We were sold a dummy in Nigeria the pest (Maruca) Nigeria was eating the pores and the beans leguminous system and therefore were leading to low yield from farmers.
“That was the dummy sold to Nigerians, it looked quite attractive. But I challenge the Nigerian farmers today to go to those areas renowned for beans production, to go and plant the dummy we have today called complex BT beans and let me see if that will solve the problem of Boko Haram and banditry. What is leading to low production of beans in Nigeria is banditry and Boko Haram, not the maruca deception. Now, the point is very clear whatever can kill an insect, whatever can kill a pest will kill humans.” Ifeanyi added.
