‘Genetically Modified Beans Safe for Consumption, to Boost FX Earnings’
The President, National Biotechnology and Biosafety Consortium (NBBC), Prof. Celestine Aguoru, has argued that the local development Pod-Borer Resistant Cowpea (PBR-Cowpea), a genetically modified (GMO) solution to boost beans production will conserve foreign exchange (FX) by cutting down on importation of 5,000 tons of beans annually.
He maintained that the solution has no health implications as being taunted by some stakeholders who are apparently uninformed about the breakthrough indigenous innovation launched recently.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja to address the perceived misconception which had greeted the innovation, he said, “farmers can now heave a sigh of relief from chemicals which they have to spray about 10 times for each beans season”.
He said the country would save a lot of FX used in the importation of chemicals should farmers embrace the new harmless organic solution yet effective in boosting beans production by at least 20 per cent yields.
According to him: “Today, beans from Nigeria is not accepted at the international market due to heavy use of chemical on farms and in storage, this development should worry any right thinking Nigeria but some who have constituted themselves into perpetual critics see nothing bad in that, they want government to ban the GM beans, “Nigeria has had enough of this draw back syndrome, what are the duties of the over 15 agricultural research institutes all over the country as well as the federal government owned and funded universities of agriculture, faculties of agriculture, sciences, vet medicines and all the related units in universities and the like?
“Their duties are simply to work on the improvement of our crops, provide scientific solutions to challenges facing farmers and ensure that crops which the country has comparative advantage in producing is enhanced to the extent that we don’t have to lose that advantage.”
Aguoru urged the federal government to ignore calls by non-scientific activists seeking for ban the GM beans as it has been proven to be safe and poses no harm to human or animals. “We urge the government to encourage these non-experts who turn around to criticise to come together with us where government personnel shall be observers where issues could be explained to those agitating.”
He also urge the federal government to increase budgetary allocations to universities and research institutes to enable them undertake research that meets national aspirations as evidenced in the case with PBR Cowpea.