Biosafety Project Officer, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Joyce Ebebeinwe, in this piece, calls on the Nigerian government to look critically at the activities of the Nigerian Biosafety Regulatory Agency and the subject of genetically modified foods in the country in order to ensure that foods are safe for consumption

While Nigerians face uncertainties over food security due to incessant herders-farmers clashes, another threat is dawning on the nation without much notice. The fact that President Muhammadu Buhari just inaugurated a Food Security Council underscores the centrality of food security to the country. However, without food safety there cannot be food security.

On March 22, 2018, the country coordinator for Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) and National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) chieftain, Dr Rose Gidado, stated in an interview with newsmen in Abuja that “before the end of 2018, Bt Cowpea and Bt Cotton as biotechnology products in Nigeria would be in the market.”

Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) raised concerns with regard to this announcement and stated that these products are soon to be unleashed on an unsuspecting Nigerian public. According to the organisation, there is no guarantee about the environmental and health safety of the beans and cotton to be released by the end of 2018.

Nnimmo Bassey, the Director of HOMEF, stressed that there are serious challenges GMOs pose in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune dysfunction and genetic disorders which make it very important that Nigeria adopts the precautionary principle-which warns that strict measures should be applied where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage and lack of full scientific certainty

The OFAB/NABDA officer stated that “the pesticide tolerant cowpea will allow for a reduced use of pesticide”. To this, Nnimmo Bassey, responded and stated it is well known that pests have developed resistance to the Bt toxins and this resistance leads to an increased use of toxic chemicals which increases the damage to the environment.

Mariann Orovwuje, the African Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA) chairperson, said: “Bt crops and other GM foods will not help Nigeria’s economy as the supporters of the technology allege. Rather, there will be forced dependence on corporate bodies for seeds. Farmers will have no right to reuse their seeds and agricultural production will be left in the hands of large scale industrial investors.”

The National Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in June 2017 revealed that 24 export products from Nigeria were rejected by the European Union (EU) in the year 2016 for failing to meet standards. HOMEF warns that the market for genetically modified products from Nigeria is narrowing instead of expanding, with the strict requirement of the EU.

HOMEF believes that the way to improve economic situation for farmers is to invest in organic agriculture, provide farmers with extension services, needed infrastructure, good roads and access to land and loans. Support for farmers should include investment in research and exploration of agroecology approach to the problems of pests and diseases.

The organisation stated that it is good to learn from others who have taken caution against GMOs. “The Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni had, declined to sign into law a Biosafety Bill passed by the Ugandan Parliament in October 2017 because of issues that included liability and redress and concerns on conservation of indigenous crops and agricultural biodiversity.”

The Director of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) during a recent twitter chat was asked how the akara or moi-moi made from GM beans and other foods sold by the road sides will be labelled and his response was that the sellers should erect signposts announcing that they are selling GM products. That would be laughable if not for the fact that it is an extremely tragic notion.

HOMEF insisted that the promise to have GMOs labelled in Nigeria to ensure that the public have a choice on whether or not to eat such crops will not work mainly due to our socio-cultural and economic realities.

Furthermore, the recent statement by the NBMA DG, Dr Rufus Ebegba, at a media conference in Abuja on the April 5, 2018 shows clearly how flawed our biosafety regulatory system is. According to reports, “Dr. Rufus Ebegba has given importers of genetically modified (GM) seeds a seven-day ultimatum to formalise their dealings or risk being shut down.”

HOMEF expressed that this statement is in direct contrast to the provisions of the law. Section 23 (1) of the NBMA Act 2015 states: “Any person, institution or body who wishes to import, export, transit or otherwise carry out a contained field trial, multi-locational trial or commercial release of a genetically modified organism shall apply to the Director General of the Agency not less than 270 days to the date of import, export, transit or the commencement of such activity.”

According to HOMEF, the statement by the NBMA DG may be construed to mean that dealers on GM products in Nigeria will be given permits after they had imported GMO seeds without passing through due approval processes. HOMEF totally objects to any sort of formalisation of illegal importation of GMOs into the country. A short notice to import these crops does not allow for risk assessments or safety assurances and regrettably this may have been the basis on which the agency granted WACOT Ltd permits to import several varieties of GM maize over a period of three years – after the company was alleged to have illegally brought in the crop in September 2017 and had been ordered to repatriate the grains.

The Ecological Think Tank calls on the Nigerian government to look critically at the activities of the Nigerian Biosafety Regulatory Agency and the subject of genetically modified foods in the country. While HOMEF commends the action of the federal government in establishing the food security council, the group insists that it is pertinent that action is taken to ensure that our foods are indeed safe.

A pan-African non-governmental organisation (NGO), the African Forest Forum (AFF), has called for a sustainable forest management in Africa to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Mr Godwin Kowero, the Executive Secretary of AFF, made the call at the opening of the forum’s training Programme with the theme “Modelling Climate and Applications to the Forestry Sector”, on Monday, April 9, 2018 in Osogbo, Osun State.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop, which held at the premises of the Osun State University, had participants drawn from 17 African countries.

Kowero described climate change currently affecting the African environment as a serious threat to human lives, hence the urgency for sustainable forest management in Africa.

He said that AFF was committed to sustainable management, use and conservation of the forests and tree resources of Africa for the socio-economic well-being of its people and for the stability and improvement of the environment.

Kowero said that the forum was working closely with the UN to address the issue of deforestation, especially in Africa.

He said strategic plans were being put in place across African countries to curtail environmental degradation and climate change challenges.

Also speaking, Mr Moussa Leko, ECOWAS representative, said that the body was committed to supporting the efforts of member-states in creating a platform for synergy among stakeholders, to sustain forest management globally.

Leko said that the importance of forestry on food security and renewable energy as a source of livelihoods among African people could not be over-emphasised.

He commended the AFF for the initiative, saying that the expected huge impact would be felt on forest resources management both at regional and international levels.

In his remarks, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, commended the initiative of the AFF, which is aimed at improving livelihoods and sustainable management of forest resources on the African continent.

Aregbesola said that the state was committed to the issue of afforestation and tree planting, to curtail the ravaging effects of climate change.

Represented by his deputy, Mrs Grace Titilaoye-Tomori, the governor commended the forum for choosing Osun as the centre for the workshop.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Labode Popoola, said that the institution was happy to host the workshop and wished the participants fruitful discussions.

By Victor Adeoti

Farmers in southern Kaduna are expected to generate N5.850 billion annually from rubber plantation, according to Dr. Wuranti Valla, an official of the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN) in Benin City, Edo State.

Valla, a Chief Research Officer in the institute, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday, April 9, 2018 in Manchok that 52 farmers, including the state government, had cultivated about 52 hectares of rubber plantations in six local governments.

“Of the 52 farmers, 12 are from Manchok town in Kaura Local Government. They cultivate a total of 12 hectares of rubber plantations. The least farmer has 450 rubber trees while some have up to 2000 trees,” he said.

He said that the remaining 40 farmers were scattered in five local governments – Jema’a, Kagarko, Jaba, Zango-Kataf and Sanga.

According to him, farmers in Manchok, who planted in late 2007 when RRIN introduced the Rubber Project in the southern part of the state, have commenced tapping since October 2017.

He said that the state government’s plantation, which is located in Sanga Local Government, was also being tapped.

Valla, who described the project as a huge success, said that the farmers would “soon start smiling to the bank after about 10 years of investment, labour, hard work and endurance”.

He said that each hectare contained 450 rubber trees, adding that a kilogramme of rubber currently sells at N250 in the international market.

“Rubber is money because a single three can produce about 1,000 kilogrammes of rubber annually. If you multiply N250 by 1,000, you will get N250,000 annually per tree.

“For those with 450 trees, it means N112.5 million per hectare. If you value the 52 hectares being cultivated in the area, we are talking of about N5.850 billion annually.

“The market is there because the demand for rubber is high. It is the major raw material for companies manufacturing tyres, tubes, shoes, condoms, balloons, hand gloves, surgical instruments, among many others uses.

“Already, there is a company from Delta State that has commenced tapping of about three farms in Manchok, but RRIN is making arrangement to buy off the rubber directly from the farmers to ensure a ready market,” Valla said.

He said that agro-allied industries would soon spring up in the area following the growing of rubber plantations.

“The weather is friendly and the soil is conducive for rubber trees. Farmers in this part of the country should take advantage of the project to improve their earnings,” he said.

One of the farmers in Manchok, Mr Danladi Nache, who spoke with NAN, said that he was among the few farmers that keyed into the rubber plantation initiative when it was first introduced in Manchok in 2007.

Nache described the 10 years of hard labour, huge investment and hard work required to nurture the rubber trees to maturity as a “herculean task”.

“I planted 1,344 seedlings in 2007; by April 2009, 860 had died, leaving only 484. I had to constantly replace the dead ones and now I have about 900 trees, out of which about 200 are being tapped,” he said.

He identified some of the challenges to include constant watering after planting the seedlings due to shortage of rain between November and April, for the first three years.

Other concerns, he said, included attack by termites, bush fire, encroachment by herdsmen and vandalism by criminals that keep thwarting all efforts to fence the plantation with barbed wires.

“It has not been easy, but I am glad that I remained focused and resolute to have come this far, and I am confident that my years of hard labour will finally pay off, now that my trees are being tapped,” Nache said.

He thanked the RRIN for all the technical support, including local and foreign training to equip the farmers with all the basic knowledge and skills required to maintain rubber plantations.

Another farmer, Mr Leo Shekari, a civil servant, who has about 200 trees in his plantation in Manchok, said he had to cross so many hurdles to nurture the trees to maturity.

Shekari, who said that the plantation would occupy most of his time after retirement, declared that he had no regrets in spite of the years of endless toils and investment to ensure that the trees survived and grew to maturity.

“I am happy to say that my plantation will be due for tapping, hopefully, by 2019. I am also confident that my children and their grandchildren will tap from the economic gains of my years of labour,” he said.

On his part, Malam Tagwai Sambo, the Chief of Moro’a, who also has about 500 rubber trees already being tapped, described the development as a step toward opening the land for more investors.

“We embraced the initiative when it was introduced in 2007. Not only did we plant the trees, we encouraged others to do so. I personally donated about three hectares to RRIN for demonstration.

“The Kaduna State Government has equally given the institute 20 hectares so as to expand the cultivation of the economic tree in the southern part of the state.

“The rubber trees currently being tapped, including my own, have shown that rubber trees not only flourish in our land, but could also provide high quantity of quality rubber,” Sambo said.

The royal father, however, appealed to the RRIN to ensure ready market for the farmers so that they could reap the benefits of their hard labour, endurance and perseverance.

Meanwhile, the institute’s Head of Field Operations in Manchok, Mr Nwadiei Ugo, has said that the yield of the rubber plantations in Manchok were encouraging and had proven to be of high quality.

Ugo particularly expressed surprise that 20 per cent of the trees currently being tapped in Manchok were filling their cups in the first five days as against just trickles usually recorded, when tapping a new plantation in the south of the country.

“We had to use a one litre cup instead of half litre to avoid wastage because of the high volume of the liquid rubber that flows from the trees.

“Besides, only few water content was discovered when we subjected the liquid rubber to test to determine the quantity of the coagulated rubber content. This is a further proof of the high quality of the rubber,” he said.

Ugo called on other farmers to key into the project, pointing out that rubber plantation had huge returns on investment.

“We have even introduced inter-cropping to allow farmers to cultivate other food crops alongside the rubber,” he stated.

By Philip Yatai

The Team Leader, Wheat Value Change in Nigeria, Dr Oliwasina Olabanji, says that Nigeria will reduce wheat importation by 60 per cent by 2025.

Olabanji, who is the Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute, stated this on Sunday, April 8, 2018 after inspection of wheat seed production farms in Ringim and Hadejia Local Government Areas of Jigawa State.

He explained that the Flour Mills had initiated and supported the production of improved and high yielding wheat seed in Jigawa and Kano states.

The team leader said the firm has supported farmers with seed and fertiliser to cultivate 45 hectares of the improved seed, with 30 hectares in Kano and 15 in Jigawa.

According to him, seed is critical to crop production, hence the need to support and encourage its production.

Olabanji identified lack of adequate seed as a major challenge in the value change agenda in Nigeria.

“We are here today for a farm work on wheat seed production. This project is the initiative of Flour Mills of Nigeria; they empowered our farmers with inputs to produce wheat seed.

“Seed is very critical in crop production and in the value change, our major challenge is seed, we don’t have adequate seed in this country, not only for wheat, even for most crops.

“But the Flour Mills of Nigeria has in no small measure helped us to bridge the gap in our seed production. They have intervened in two states – Kano and Jigawa.

“Here in Jigawa, they empowered three farmers to cultivate 15 hectares of wheat seed, likewise in Kano, about 30 hectares have been put into wheat seed production with support of the company.

“We are so grateful to them and we are also grateful to our farmers in the wheat value change,” Olabanji said.

He added that the farmers engaged to produce the seed were competent enough and were trained on community based seed production.

The team leader also assured the farmers that the company would uptake the seed after cultivation.

“And another thing that the Flour Mills is going to do now is when the farmers harvest is to buy from them. So farmers already have market.

“And I want to thank the state’s Director of Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), Malam Isa Awwalu, for his support in the programme,” the team leader added.

According to him, the wheat value change team will soon come up with another project in which wheat seed production is a component.

Olabanji added the team would collaborate with Jigawa Government to make sure that, by 2025, Nigeria reduces importation of wheat seed by sixty per cent.

“The Governor of Jigawa is very supportive to our wheat production and another project is coming up in the next two months and wheat production is one of the components of that project.

“So we are coming to sensitise Jigawa government on the project so that we will have a very strong collaboration to make sure that come 2025, Nigeria must reduce importation of wheat by 60 per cent,’’ Olabanji said.

By Muhammad Nasir Bashir