Food security: CASER calls for increased investment on biotechnology application

The Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER),says application of biotechnology to food production will ensure abundance, food security and prosperity for every Nigerian.

Executive Director of CASER,Mr Frank Tiete said this at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

Tiete, who is the convener”Food Avail Nigeria,” a programme design to encourage cultivation of genetically modified Tela Maize and BT Cowpea in Nigeria, dismissed recent media reports of alleged risks associated with biotechnology food and Genetically Modified Organisms.

He said, given issues of insecurity and social economic challenges,there was need to pay attention to application of biotechnology to agriculture.

He said it was worrisome that the nation was not fully maximising the benefits of biotechnology on food production.

“We are worried by the day that ignorance by some people who have no knowledge on the advances of biotechnology are dismissing the efforts and benefits of biotechnology advancement.”

He said Nigeria’s journey in the application of principles of biotechnology was witnessing a science revolution in food, medicine and environmental sustainability.

“The Nigerian government as far back as 1987 has put legislation in place to encourage the application of biotechnology and genetic engineering as instrument of social economic development.

” Nigerian begun research and development in the areas of biotechnology, because the leaders saw the potential in the technology.”

He said in 1993 Nigerian government had also established the Shelda Science and Technology Complex Act.

According to him, section five of the act provides for an advanced laboratory for pure and applied research in biotechnology and applied engineering.

He said in the year 2000, American Congress encouraged African countries, including Nigeria by enacting a law referred as African Growth and Opportunity Act.

He said the law removed duties taxes, export and import duties of over 1,800 agriculture products coming from Africa to the US.

He said the act encouraged African nations to develop agriculture products, saying that the law also stipulates that there should be no discrimination against biotechnology products coming from Africa.

He,however, said Nigeria was yet to exploit the benefits of the law, having only exported oil to the US, instead of developing genetic modified foods that are acceptable and exportable to the US.

He said given the great potential and economic attraction of biotechnology for national development, Nigeria in 2015 fully enacted the National Biosafety Agency Act to regulate the practice of genetic engineering and biotechnology.

This,he said put Nigeria on the world map of ensuring safety in the application of modern biotechnology, while harnessing its numerous benefits.

He said Nigeria had also ratified in1994, the United Nations Convention on biodiversity and ratified the Catajona protocol on biosafety in 2023.

He said under international covenant on economic and social economic rights, provides that every Nigeria citizen has the right to benefit from scientific and cultural progress.

“You cannot deny my beloved citizens from the progress of science across the world, all in the name of unfounded fears, mysteries, when you are yet to test from the laboratories.

“As we speak today, There is no evidence, that associates GM food with any risks.”

Tiete called on the Federal Government, stakeholders in agriculture development sector, banks to workout ways to provide genetically modified tela maize and BT Cowpea to farmers.

This, he said would lead to increased yields, and more nutritious plants that would guarantee food security and health of Nigerians.

He urged the government and policy markers on agriculture not to be distracted by remarks of persons who have little or no knowledge on the potential inherent in biotechnology.