Experts call for indigenous technology to combat GMOs challenges
NAN-AE-4
Technology
By Ebere Agozie
Abuja, Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) Experts in bio-safety management have canvassed for indigenous technology to devise means of combating the challenges posed by the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and foods.
They stated this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Mr Paul Keese, a former Bio-safety Manager, Australia’s Biosafety Regulatory Agency, said that Africa had the chance to gain the benefits of technology in the area of Genetically Modified foods.
NAN reports that Keese is in Nigeria as one of the facilitators at a workshop organised by the National Bio-safety Management Agency (NBMA).
“Africa must see how they can work together to tackle the risks posed by GMOs and other organisms that may be a biological threat to the health of the people and its environment.
“They should also ensure that Africans carry out researches on African problems to come up with African solutions and not try to get solutions based on other people’s treatment of their peculiar problems. “
Keese, also a visiting fellow, University of Ghana, said that Africa should have a long-term sustainability programme and autonomy of African-led innovation to devise African solutions.
“We need to as well look at the education side so that Africans can lead the way in understanding bio-safety and bio-risks, so they can take the lead in teaching and applying things that are evolving within Africa.
“They must understand the peculiar technique to tackle African problems and challenges associated with Africa GMOs, which must be identified, analysed, evaluated and good regulatory decisions taken, “ he added.
Also, Mr Stephen Buah, Programme Officer, National Agricultural Research Organisation, Uganda, agreed that there must be African technologies and researchers to assess factors that could lead to harm in Africa GMOs.
“You know in a lot of cases Africans tend to think that the mere release of genetically modified organisms causes harm, but they must be educated that there are a lot of processes and sequences involved.
“We have to understand that the moment these processes are broken, harm will occur.
“So, we must assess the risks posed by Genetically Modified Foods because we have our peculiar challenges that also need peculiar solutions, “ he said.
He said that African capacity development was what Africa was hungry for and lot of those technologies started from somewhere else and that Africans only use the end products.
“I am happy that many African laboratories have the capacity to develop genetically modified crops which are very advantageous in different aspects. “
He said that there are fears only because of the negative information by the media and non- exposure to appropriate information by members of the public.
“People are raising questions about the safety of GM foods because they also question the technologies involved.
“That is why if we get tested and trusted African developed research and technologies, they will trust the assessment of the risks involved and as well its products.
“So Africa has the capacity to research, build and assess the risk posed by GMOs, its safety, and make the proper decisions not based on the information received from other countries, “ he stressed. (NAN)
EPA/MOL/AFA
Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Felix Ajide
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