Nigeria: Genetically Modified Crops - the Myth and Reality

23 November 2020

I was driving out of the National Agricultural Seeds Council headquarters in Sheda, on the Abuja-Lokoja expressway when I noticed a small demonstration plot of a new cotton variety. The plot had already been harvested, but the dried sturdy plants stood erect and still retained some green leaves and looked never perturbed by insect or disease. There was still some fibre left in the massive, open bolls that seemed ready for another harvest. It was a curious sight and it took me only a closer look to know that this was a genetically engineered cotton. After an inquiry, I was told that it was a plot for 'Bt Cotton' trial. 'Bt' crops have an insect-resistant trait usually based on genes from a bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt as it is usually referred to). 'Bt' crops are proven to have generally decreased yield losses and the use of insecticides on small and large farms in comparison to normal varieties. And yes, Bt crops are genetically engineered to carry the genes of the said bacterium which makes them GMO.

The term GMO stands for 'Genetically Modified Organism'. This general definition refers to all organisms, and in most cases plants that have been modified using recombinant DNA techniques or genetic engineering to achieve some desired traits, like drought-tolerance and pest-resistance. I find the term GMO misleading since the genes of organisms have been changed repeatedly since the human race started farming and many crops and even animals as we know them today, are a direct result of these deliberate manipulations over the years.

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