Stakeholders decry consumption of GMO foods

Stakeholders in the health and agricultural sectors have decried consumption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) foods, as it could put citizens at risk.

They, however, supported bio-fortification, a natural process of selecting and embedding nutrients to enrich mineral contents of a particular type of food.

Speaking at the launch of EAT Lancet Commission Report organised by Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Country Director, GAIN, Dr. Michael Ojo said Nigeria’s food system is currently not delivering nutritious foods to its 200 million population.

He said the EAT Lancet Commission report brings together an extensive review of the evidence, combining criteria for healthy dietary changes with environmental analyses of food systems impact and proposing recommendations for planetary health diets.

Ojo noted that the commission had proposed five strategies, which included policies that would encourage people to choose healthy diets, need to refocus agriculture from producing high volumes of crops to producing varied nutrient-rich crops, effective governance of land and ocean use to preserve natural ecosystems and ensure continued food supplies.

In his remarks, Professor of Food Science and Technology, Bells University, Prof Olugbenga Ogunmoyela called for reorientation of Nigerians on healthy living. Also, Senior Special Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh on Food Security and Nutrition, Dr. Adeyinka Onabolu said government had developed strategy to tackle malnutrition, through developing strategy on integrated farming system.

Vice President, Nigeria Agri-Business Group, Dr. Emmanuel Ijewere noted that government should put in place infrastructure that would help preserve foods Nigerians do not consume.