Environmental and public health advocates have urged the Lagos State House of Assembly to suspend approvals for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and promote agroecology, citing concerns about public health, biodiversity and farmers’ control over indigenous seeds.
The advocates made the call during an advocacy rally in Lagos on Friday, organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) under the campaign, “GMOs Will Not Address Nigeria’s Food Crises.”
The rally, which began at Computer Village, Ikeja, and ended at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Alausa, sought stronger government action to regulate genetically modified crops and support sustainable farming practices.
Mr Olamide Ogunlade of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, a member of the OCA consortium, said the campaign aimed to raise public awareness and encourage dialogue with policymakers on the regulation and possible banning of GMOs.
Ogunlade expressed concern about the growing influence of corporate actors in Nigeria’s food system, urging the government to prioritise organic farming and agroecology.
He warned that excessive use of synthetic agricultural inputs could harm the environment, adding that Lagos was strategically important because its policies could influence national discussions on food production.
Similarly, Ms Joyce Brown, Director of Programmes at HOMEF, called on the Lagos Assembly to support a ban on GMOs pending independent, long-term assessments of their potential health and environmental effects.
Brown said genetically modified crops could cross-pollinate with local varieties, potentially threatening indigenous seeds and farmers’ ability to preserve traditional planting materials.
She also warned that dependence on commercially supplied seeds could increase farmers’ reliance on corporations and undermine their control over agricultural production.
Brown urged the state government to introduce policies supporting smallholder farmers practising agroecology and called on the Federal Government to follow up on a motion reportedly moved in the House of Representatives in 2024 concerning GMOs.
She said approvals for genetically modified crops should be suspended until independent assessments established their safety.
A molecular biologist and public health analyst, Dr Casmir Ifeanyi, also urged state lawmakers to take a more active role in regulating genetically modified crops.
Ifeanyi, a member of the Network of African Scientists in Biosafety, Biodiversity and Health, said concerns about GMOs had persisted since the National Biosafety Management Act was enacted in 2015.
He alleged that regulatory authorities had continued approving genetically modified crops without adequately addressing concerns raised by critics.
Ifeanyi claimed that more than 16 genetically modified crops had been approved in Nigeria and expressed concern that imported processed foods could contain ingredients derived from such crops.
He questioned whether sufficient baseline studies had been conducted to investigate possible links between the consumption of genetically modified foods and non-communicable diseases.
He also raised concerns about potential effects on biodiversity, soil microorganisms and the nutritional composition of crops.
According to Ifeanyi, dependence on patented planting materials could limit farmers’ ability to save and exchange seeds freely, threatening traditional farming practices and food sovereignty.
He called on state assemblies to examine the implications of genetically modified crops for public health, biodiversity and farmers’ rights.
The activists, in a petition presented to lawmakers, urged the Assembly to initiate policies protecting indigenous seeds, supporting smallholder farmers and promoting organic farming.
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They also called for stronger government support for agroecology and improved public access to information about the seeds and agricultural technologies used by farmers.
The rally formed part of the advocates’ continuing campaign for greater public participation in decisions concerning genetically modified crops and Nigeria’s food system.
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