Farmers in Kano call for ban on GMOs – www.cliptvonline.com ~

By Bashir Bello, Kano

Farmers in Kano have unanimously called for banning of Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs because of the side effect they have on their farming system, health and on the environment.

The farmers made the call during a farmers’ dialogue meeting organized by Health of Mother Earth Foundation, HOMEF on food and farming system, in Kwankwaso town, Madobi Local government area of the state.

HOMEF’s Programme Manager, Joyce Ebebeinwe who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the meeting, said GMOs have health, environmental and economic implication hence the need to ban the products.

Ebebeinwe further said the farmers preferred their food to be produced and preserved naturally.

In her words, “The farmers say no to GMOs. They call for a ban on GMOs especially because of the risks associated with them.

“Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs are crops that have had their genetic material changed in a way that is not natural. They are products of modern agricultural biotechnology.

“So there are challenges with this technology. Such challenges are in form of health, environmental challenges and even implications on our economy. On health, researches have linked the consumption of GMOs to health problems like cancer, liver malfunction, kidney issues, immune disorders and birth defects among others.

“On the environment, the chemicals that accompany these products have led to soil degradation. We see the soil not producing crops as healthy as it should produce.

“So the farmers are calling for the preservation of their natural food. They unanimously said that they do not want the GMOs. That they want natural food to be preserved because they believed those are the foods that are healthy and nutritious,” Ebebeinwe said.

Earlier, a resource person and Organic Agriculture Expert, Dr Olugbenga Adeoluwa advocated that instead of the country looking for so many foreign technologies that could hamper its development, it should adopt a combined approach (both traditional knowledge and scientific information) especially methodology that has been found safe and good for the people and environment towards attaining a safer environment and consistent food production.