Enugu farmers move against GMO foods

A coalition of farmers and civil society groups in Enugu State staged a rally over the weekend, demanding a ban on all Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) used for planting, food, or feed production and processing in Nigeria.

The farmers marched from the State Ministry of Agriculture on Okpara Avenue, GRA, Enugu, to the Enugu State House of Assembly at Independence Layout, where they submitted a petition to the Speaker, Hon. Uche Ugwu.

The petition was prepared and endorsed by the GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance and the Say No to GMOs Group as part of a nationwide campaign against GMOs, led by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), on Friday, December 13, 2024.

The coalition comprises over 1,000 individuals and groups, including farmers, civil society organisations, scientists, researchers, nutritionists, legal practitioners, medical practitioners, women, and youth groups.

Addressing the Speaker, the spokesperson of the coalition, Lovelyn Nnenna Ejim, acknowledged the government’s intention to improve food security in Nigeria but described the adoption of GMOs as a “silver bullet” to agricultural challenges as a costly error.

“Continuing this path holds serious implications for Nigeria’s food sovereignty, biodiversity, environmental sustainability, and health.

“We believe that tackling the food challenges of the nation requires a holistic approach—one that addresses the root causes, ensures food security and sovereignty, empowers smallholder farmers who are the mainstay of Nigeria’s agriculture system, and builds biodiversity and overall environmental resilience,” she said.

The petition called on the Federal Government to ban GMOs in Nigeria and invest in agroecology, including organic agriculture, regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and other proven practices that can transform Nigeria’s food system into one that ensures sustainability, food sovereignty, and resilience to climate change impacts.

It demanded, among other things a ban on all imported processed foods containing bioengineered ingredients on market shelves; nullification of all permits granted so far, as they are not backed by adequate and certified risk assessments; investment in agroecology, organic farming, and other food production practices that ensure food security and sovereignty while strengthening Nigeria’s economy; investment in rural infrastructure to enable better access to farms and markets; and employment and deployment of sufficient numbers of extension officers to support farmers.

Receiving the protesting farmers on behalf of the Speaker, the Member representing Nsukka East Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Pius Ezugwu, assured that the lawmakers would do their best to ensure that GMO foods are stopped in the state.