NISS Registrar endorses GMO seeds for farmers

Soil expert, Registrar/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS), Prof  Victor Chude has endorsed Genetically Modified (GM) seeds for the use of farmers to enhance high yield production towards food security.

 Prof. Victor Chude said this in an exclusive interview with Foodfarmnews  to ascertain the potency of GM seeds on food productivity in his office last week Friday at Abuja.

Chude advised that it is time Nigerians belief in biotechnology (Bt) seeds, saying it is the way to liberate the country from low production of food being experienced by farmers across the nation in the face of climate change and other insecurity challenges.

He pointed that as our farmers are still battling with how to increase productions while other developed countries that had adopted the engineering technology are already producing 10-12 tons per hectare.

NISS boss said biologically the GMO seeds were created to adopt to an environment, and some of them are resistant to insect and tolerant to some harsh condition in the soil.

He added " Absolutely if they are properly screened by the virtue of the genetic engineering that is used in producing them, they are the ones that easily adapt to the environment with high yielding potentials. In developed economy, this is what is used, and they are getting double of their yields. For example if you are talking about maize in developed economy they can get up to 10-12 tons, while here our farmers are battling to get one to two tons" 

Chude pointed he had listened to the Director-General, National Biosafety Management Agency saying they would not allow any GMO seed that will be injurious to human health to be used in this country.