An Agriculturist, Dr. Emmanuel Okogbenin, has called on African leaders to embrace the potential inherent in Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to promote food security in the continent.
Okogbenin, Director, Programme Development and Commercialisation, Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), made the call in an interview with journalists in Benin on Friday.
He said GMOs could significantly contribute to food security by increasing crop yield.
“We will continue to communicate the benefits of GMOs to African leaders.
“The fact remains that a lot of Africans are having food security challenges; people don’t have food to eat.
“Promoting GMOs is one of the ways to ensure food security. As of today, there is no problem linked to GMOs,” he said.
Okogbenin said that genetically modified cotton, cowpea and maize had been released in Nigeria and were being adopted by farmers.
“When a gene is transferred, it is carefully regulated and assessed to ensure it is beneficial to the crop.
“GMOs are not about offering something sophisticated, but about overcoming the limitations of conventional breeding.
“Biotechnology allows genes to be transferred from one species to another, enhancing specific traits without altering the plant’s appearance and originality.
“Genetically modified cowpeas do not need pesticides application. It saves farmers money, increases the yields of the crop as well as protects the environment from chemicals.
“One common concern is the transfer of genes from bacteria into plants.
‘However, it’s crucial to understand that not all bacteria are harmful; many are beneficial, even in our digestive systems,” he said.
The director attributed the misconception surrounding GMO to lack of awareness about the role of biotechnology in their development.
“The process of releasing a GMO is so tough. If there are any potential dangers, they are controlled by the regulatory standards put in place.
“So, whatever is released is safe for human consumption. The GMOs released as food in the world are tested.
“GMOs have been in the market since 1996. It has been almost 30 years. There is no evidence based on data that it is linked to any health issue,” Okogbenin said. (NAN)
