GMO; Nigeria,Africa Going Seedless

 

The Sunday of May 1st, 2016, will go down as the day greed and dare-devil politics killed the nation's agriculture. It was a beautiful day, as all Nigerians were in the Church for the worship of God, while others were going about their business peacefully. But the management of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) was at a hotel premises in Abuja, in gross violation of extant laws in the Federal Republic of Nigeria issued permits for the market release of GMO BT cotton and field trials of GMO Maize in Nigeria, following the public outrage.

There was a false declaration by the then Minister of Environment, whose name I will not call that no genetically modified organisms (GMO) are officially grown in Nigeria. However, by June 2016, Farmers were able to buy GMO yellow cassava, GMO potatoes, and GMO maize at the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, Abia State, and several other places within Nigeria and these products remained available for sale at several online sites and agric market. This is despite several public outrages.

So what is genetic modification (GM) of crops and how is it done?

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. In other words, GMO seeds are created in labs for desirable traits by injecting seeds with genes from another plant. Some of these traits could be withstanding drier weather conditions or harmful insects

 

 

GM is a technology that involves inserting DNA into an organism's genome. To produce a GM plant, new DNA is transferred into plant cells. Usually, the cells are then grown in tissue culture where they develop into plants. The seeds produced by these plants will inherit the new DNA.  

The characteristics of all living organisms are determined by their genetic makeup and their interaction with the environment. The genetic makeup of an organism is its genome, which in all plants and animals is made of DNA. The genome contains genes, regions of DNA that usually carry the instructions for making proteins. It is these proteins that give the plant its characteristics. For example, the colour of flowers is determined by genes that carry the instructions for making proteins involved in producing the pigments that colour petals.

Genetic modification of plants involves adding a specific stretch of DNA into the plant’s genome, giving it new or different characteristics. This could include changing the way the plant grows or making it resistant to a particular disease. The new DNA becomes part of the GM plant’s genome which the seeds produced by these plants will contain.

Other seeds are produced via different means such as Hybrid, Organic, and Heirloom Seeds and there is no better way to explain it than for one to study carefully the table below

Difference Between GMO, Hybrid, Organic, and Heirloom Seeds

GMO Seeds	Hybrid Seeds	Organic Seeds	Heirloom Seeds
GMO Seeds can produce only one generation of crops with similar characteristics	Hybrid seeds are also not capable of passing similar genetic traits from generation to generation	Organic seeds always breed true to the type i.e. produce the same crop after every harvest	Like organic seeds, heirloom seeds retain the same genetic traits across each generation
GMO seeds are created scientifically in a lab and some GMO seeds have pesticides like Bt engineered into the genetic structure of the seed	Hybrid seeds are produced by cross-pollinating two cultivars of the similar plant to achieve the desired traits	Organic seeds are naturally produced. However, certified organic seeds involve practicing controlled and completely organic methods of farming with no use of chemicals.	Heirloom seeds are produced by open pollination carried out by pollinators like birds, bees, and wind.
GMO seeds can not be saved	Just like GMO seeds, hybrid seeds can not be saved after harvest	Organic seeds can be saved after a harvest	Heirloom seeds can also be saved
GMO seeds may not fare any better when it comes to taste and flavours	In comparison to heirloom seeds, hybrid seeds can lack certain traits	Since truly organic seeds are very rare now, most organic gardeners prefer using heirloom seeds	Heirloom seeds are far superior in taste, flavour, and nutrition to other seeds

 

Please note that the difference between GMO and organic seeds It depends, while all organic seeds are non-GMO, not all non-GMO seeds qualify as organic. Organic mostly has to do with how the plants are raised, while non-GMO has to do with the genetic makeup of the seed.

Seeds are the “smartest” part of any garden – their DNA dictates the plants’ size, flavor, looks, and light requirements. So here is the reason for the huge cry against GMO seeds.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are a highly controversial topic in the food industry. Supporters claim that GMOs are a crucial part of feeding a growing global population, while opponents argue that they pose serious health and environmental risks. Today, we will discuss the pros and cons of GMOs.

Pros of GMOs:

Increased crop yields: One of the primary benefits of GMOs is their ability to increase crop yields. By modifying the genetic makeup of crops, scientists can make them more resistant to pests and disease, as well as improve their drought tolerance and nutrient content.

Reduced use of pesticides: GMOs can also reduce the need for pesticides, as crops can be modified to be more resistant to pests and diseases. This can lead to a reduction in the environmental impact of agriculture, as well as a decrease in the cost of crop production.

Improved nutrition: GMOs can also be used to improve the nutritional value of crops. For example, scientists have developed rice that is fortified with vitamin A, which can help combat vitamin A deficiency in developing countries.

The Disadvantage of GMOs:

Health risks: Opponents of GMOs argue that they pose serious health risks, including the potential for allergic reactions and the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Some studies have also linked GMOs to an increased risk of cancer.

Environmental risks: GMOs can also pose environmental risks, as they can potentially crossbreed with wild plants and animals, leading to the spread of modified genetic material into the natural ecosystem. This can have unintended consequences, such as the development of superweeds that are resistant to herbicides.

Ethics and morality: Many individuals also have ethical and moral concerns about GMOs, arguing that it is unnatural to modify the genetic makeup of plants and animals. There are also concerns about corporate control over the food supply, as large agribusinesses often hold patents on genetically modified crops.

Effects of GMO on the soil: soil in which GMO seeds have been planted tend to reject organic seeds i.e organic seeds cannot grow on the soil this is a sign or warning to human health if GMO seeds can make organic seeds that were growing before not to be able to grow again on the same soil after GMO seeds have been planted on them.

Economical effects on farmers: farmers who cultivate with GMO seeds are dependent on the seed producers because the seeds from GMO fruits cannot be cultivated ( seeds cannot produce new plants)so the farmers must always go to the seed producers for seeds as against the traditional methods of preserving some seeds for cultivation.

Food war: note because farmers are seed dependent on the seed producers. The seed producers may use seed distribution as a weapon in any country. This is because the use of GMO seeds eradicates the organic seeds.

Most organic seeds can only survive one planting season: the organic seeds once not planted in the next season the farmer loses the seed. The soil once planted with GMO seeds makes the soil incompatible with organic seeds.

It is worth noting that two organization have a future prominently in this GMO saga with both the Nigerian and other African countries, and there are the Canadian firm Monsanto and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which have falsely claimed that the rationale for the use of GMO cassava is the biofortification of cassava with vitamins, minerals, and protein! They cite the papers from the BioCassava Plus Program, titled: Biofortification of Cassava for Sub-Saharan Africa by Sayre RT et al. published in Annual Review of Plant Biology, 62, pp. 251-272. In this paper, it was emphasized that the Biofortification Cassava Plus project increased the protein content of cassava, see page 259, it reads “Total protein content of storage roots harvested from zeolin-expressing plants reached between 10% and 12.5% dry weight, an approximately fourfold increase (Abhary M, Siritunga D, Stevens G, Taylor NJ, Fauquet CM. 2011. Transgenic biofortification of the starchy staple cassava (Manihot esculenta) generates a novel sink for protein. PLoS ONE 6:1–9). This paper by Abhary et al. 2011 funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been retracted from scientific literature as scientific forgery (see retraction http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0016256#aff1 ).

Furthermore, the much-touted Biofortification with vitamin A does not consider the kinetics of loss of vitamin A under heat effects in the preparation of the flour garri. There is virtually no dietary value of vitamin A in garri from this Biofortification Cassava Plus due to the effects of heat during preparation.

A frequent argument made by proponents of GMO crops is that, they give a higher yield. They do this deceptively by showing large tubers of yam or cassava, of course, grown with large amounts of fertilizer not added to natural cassava. However, what they do not say is that the overall yield per acre of GMO is lower than the natural variants. Furthermore, large tubers of yam are wasteful, since most families can only take a little at a meal, leaving the rest to rote away or get eaten by rats. A careful review of the literature would reveal that the overall yield of GMO crops is lower than natural crops. A recent work published in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability Volume 12, Issue 1, 2014 by Jack Heinemann et al. Heinemann et al., a professor of genetics at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand found that in the United States from 1986 to 2011 the average yields of GMO corn were lower than corn yields over the same period in Western Europe, whereas GMO corn is not allowed (see graph http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14735903.2013.806408 ). 

The Deception of Biofortification to Capture Nigerians Food Security seems to have been exposed, the Global Prolife Alliance along with all other experts from civil societies and environmental groups assert that the main goal of the racist detractors of Nigeria and the entire Black Africa is to capture the food security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Black Africa. Their aim is to replace all our staple foods and fruits with their GMO variants of yellow cassava, yellow and white maize, yellow yam, sweet potatoes, millet, sorghum, rice, beans, and so-called GMO hybrid tomatoes.

This process is ongoing in all Black African countries, with particular interest in Nigeria and Kenya.  Black Africa is heading for a complete and final extermination!  The racist groups from international biotechnology conglomerates with their deceptive foreign aid foundations fronted by local billionaires are using institutions within Nigeria and in partnership with corrupt government officials to capture the food security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A biological warfare has been declared against Nigeria. We call for a thorough investigation. There are issues of conflict of interest, for example, it is important to note that Bill Gates is the main investor in Monsanto. Both Monsanto and Bill Gates own the private army Blackwater, also called Academie and Xe Services. It is well known that since 2009, the Blackwater has been hiring combatants from West Africa for guerrilla warfare. Blackwater is the United States private army that was sacked from Iraq for killing civilians. The linkages of Blackwater to terrorism must come under close scrutiny by African governments. The issue remains to be answered. What do Bill Gates and Monsanto need a private army for in Africa?

An important issue for National Security is the fact that the so-called Boko Haram attacks were targeting killing farmers and destruction of farming communities. About 5.5 million people became Internally Displaced People (IDPs) in Nigeria. The resettlement program is still ongoing. These farmers are now receiving seeds for planting that are GMO seeds distributed by the same ‘International Partners’. As a result, the entire Northeast food basket of Nigeria is now dependent on GMO seeds from proxy companies including those from India under the false labelling of Improved Seedlings. The deception is to hide the essence of the Boko Haram Crisis and so-called Fulani Herdsmen, which is to capture the food security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the international Biotechnology Conglomerates. Similar approaches are being used in East Africa with a name change to Al-Shabab. All terrorists are equipped with heavy weaponry not even available for sale to Nigeria or Kenya. Africans need to wake up because they are held between the teeth of deadly lions seeking their extermination!

The attempt to use GMOs to capture the food security of Black Africa is in breach of the Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act (BWATA) 1989. The relevant sections of the law include Section 175 on ‘Prohibition for biological weapons’ and Section 178 on ‘Definition’ of ‘biological agent’ that includes Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) that cause disease and deterioration of food and environment, vaccines used as toxins that cause disease in humans particularly Black Africans, also including pollution the environment. Under Section 176 2 (b) of BWATA, there is forfeiture and seizure of property which constitutes means (including financial) that facilitates the delivery of biological agents. BWATA is an international treaty and there is extraterritorial Federal jurisdiction over an offense under these sections of BWATA committed by or against a national of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  Trials in many African countries are warranted to uncover the widespread plot and those implicated in different countries.

Nigerian government officials, persons, and groups “Concerned” or not, must bear in mind that, facilitating the biological warfare by these international conglomerates constitutes a treasonable felony under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 We must ban all GMOs in Nigeria. All fields with GMO crops disguised as hybrids or improved seedlings must be destroyed by the government and soil replacement undertaken. All imports, transit, and cultivation must be forbidden. We must overhaul the NRCRI, IITA and NBMA. The Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Federal Ministry of Environment have to be reshuffled to ensure that the personnel connected with facilitating the work with Monsanto are removed. We must impose jail terms on those directly involved in illegally bringing in GMO seeds from the past administration to the present. We must take a national stand to develop our own biotechnology industry and focus on plant and animal disease prevention. We must urge for refocusing of the strategies of the African Development Bank (AfDB) to exclude the promotion of GMOs in Africa. The activities of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) must be exposed as the front for the biotechnology conglomerates seeking to capture Africa’s food security.

We should expect that plant diseases would be unleashed by detractors of Nigeria as they did recently with the tomato Tuta absoluta moth, which is one of the reasons for the recent tomato scarcity in the nation. We should prepare remedies for cassava mosaic virus and other plant viruses. We must bring these issues to the African Union for a collective strategy. We must take the matter before the UN Security Council. We must be bold and fearless because this is an existential fight for the lives of all our people. Pray for Nigeria.