Maize |
No fewer than 100
rights groups and faith-based organizations have opposed attempts to
introduce genetically modified (GM) cotton and maize into Nigeria's food
and farming systems.
In a petition
submitted to the National Biosafety Management Agency, NABMA, the groups
cited many serious health and environmental concerns and the failure of
these crops especially GM cotton in Africa.
The petition was
signed on behalf of the groups by Mariann Orovwuje, food sovereignty
manager, Environmental Rights Action, ERA and Friends of the Earth
International and Nnimmo Bassey, director, Health of Mother Earth
Foundation, HoMEF.
The action followed
an application by Monsanto Agricultural Nigeria Limited to NABMA for
the release of genetically modified cotton (Bt cotton, event MON 15985)
into markets in Zaria and other towns in Kaduna State.
The company also
applied for the confined field trial (CFT) of two genetically modified
maize varieties, (NK603 and stacked event MON 89034 x NK603) in multiple
locations in the country.
But in their
objection to the commercial release of the products in Nigeria, the
rights groups raised the alarm that the move was coming after the dismal
failures of Bt cotton in Burkina Faso.
Mr. Bassey of HoMEF
said, "We are totally shocked that it should come so soon after peer
reviewed studies have showed that the technology has failed dismally in
Burkina Faso.
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