FG Moves To Label GM Crops For Public Trust

The Federal Government yesterday announced plans to introduce mandatory labelling of genetically modified (GM) crops as part of efforts to engender transparency, ensure consumer choice, and strengthen public confidence in biotechnology products.

Director of Food and Drug Services, Mr. John Atanda, disclosed this in Abuja at a sensitisation workshop for Directorate Officers organised by the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB).

He said the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would collaborate with sister agencies, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), to guarantee traceability and accountability in the distribution of GM products.

Atanda stressed that the government was committed to safeguarding public health by subjecting all biotechnology-derived foods to rigorous assessments. These, he said, would cover allergenicity, nutritional content, environmental safety, and long-term health impacts before release into the market.

> “Every product born from modern biotechnology will be held to the highest safety standards,” Atanda assured.

OFAB Country Director, Dr. Rose Gidado, in her presentation, underscored that GM technology had a track record of safe use spanning over three decades across more than 45 countries. She dismissed fears around GMOs, insisting they were borne out of misinformation.

> “The government cannot give poison to its people. If GM crops were as harmful as critics allege, Nigeria would have long been wiped out by hunger,” she argued.

She further cautioned that without sustained investment in research and development, Nigeria risked remaining dependent on importation.

Also speaking, Director-General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, highlighted field evidence showing that farmers who cultivated GM maize, popularly known as TELLA Maize, recorded yield increases of up to 50 per cent.

He added that farmers planting pod borer-resistant cowpea were enjoying higher returns, with a significant drop in insecticide use and a substantial boost in productivity.

Stakeholders at the forum noted that with the right policies, Nigeria could harness biotechnology not only to enhance food security but also to strengthen farmers’ incomes while reducing reliance on imports.