Nigerian farmers write EU on GM crops
Nigerian farmers write EU on GM crops
… says Let us make our choice
We (a group of Nigerian farmers) are so
much concerned about this demand that the G8 should not support GM
crops in Africa and want to state how important it is that
agricultural biotechnology be applied to achieve a sustainable
development of agriculture in Nigeria.
As Africans and Nigerians, we
appreciate the efforts of the EU to make a decision on our food
system but then, we can do this for ourselves. We need the
opportunity to make our own choices; also we need to have variety of
options to choose from.
Our farmers have heard and seen
testimonies from other African farmers in Burkina Faso, Sudan, Egypt
and South Africa. We know that Spain, one of the European Union
countries as of 2014 has been the largest producer of GM crops in
Europe with 137,000 hectares (340,000 acres) of GM maize planted in
2013 equalling 20% of Spain's maize production. We also Know that
over 70% of the crops grown in the United States is genetically
modified and Nigeria Imports majority of its food from these
countries.
If the EU Members really want to take a
good decision for us, they should know Nigeria is tired of importing
so much and exporting less. You need to also consider what we stand
to gain from commercializing these products.
The adoption of Genetically Engineered
crops is very critical for us because we can no longer afford to
depend so much on oil or neglect what agriculture can do for our
economy. Our Population is on the increase and is expected to be the
3rd largest population in the world by 2020. Conventional
agricultural practices are strictly inadequate to feed us. Our crop
yield is majorly affected by insects, at the same time climate change
issues are making our land less fertile due to drought, flooding and
other harsh condition. We do not have luxury of debating so much on
genetically engineered crops because we have limited options to
solving our food crisis.
Our cowpea (which the EU has stopped us
from exporting because of Pesticide residue) is the next staple crop
after rice in Nigeria and Maruca insect reduces its yield by 60%. We
spray a lot to enable us get enough yield and are tired of spraying.
If we commercialize Bt. Cowpea, it can reduce spraying for us and
also pesticides residues to enable us to export cowpea. Our Cotton
industry has been in comatose because of lack of improved seeds
resistant to pests. We know commercializing Bt. Cotton can increase
our yield thereby generating more income for us. Our hungry and
malnourished women can get more nutrients from consuming bio
fortified Sorghum enriched with extra vitamin A, Iron and Zinc.
We hereby want to state categorically
that we do not want another form of colonialism from this decision
you are about to make for us. Let us have options to the seeds we can
grow. Even though we know Agricultural Biotechnology is not the only
solution to the challenges we face in the farm, we need to embrace it
as an efficient, inclusive, climate-smart, sustainable, nutrition-
and health-driven, and business-friendly technology to help us
produce more food in order to ensure that no Nigerian goes to sleep
hungry by 2025.
We hope you make the right decision at
the session.
Abdallah Yaya is a Member of Cowpea
Association of Nigeria, Abuja chapter.
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