Home Food Despite Nigeria’s Growing Concerns, NBRDA Director Claims GMOs Are Edible Vaccines
FoodHealth

Despite Nigeria’s Growing Concerns, NBRDA Director Claims GMOs Are Edible Vaccines

789
Despite Nigeria's Growing Concerns, NBRDA Director Claims GMOs Are Edible Vaccines
NBRDA Director, Rose Gidado

In a highly contentious public debate with health, environmental and agricultural experts, the Director of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA), Mrs Rose Gidado, made a controversial claim that the genetically modified organism (GMO) seeds are edible vaccines.

The contentious claim was made during a 3-hour webinar titled ‘CSOs Discourse in Biotechnology and GMOs Application in Nigeria’s Agricultural System’ last month and organised by the Center for 21st Century Issues.

During the webinar, Gidado presented a slide highlighting the supposed benefits of GMOs, including an increase in the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by delayed ripening, conferring resistance to insects, pests, and viruses, tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought, salt, water-logging, herbicide tolerance and edible vaccines.

However, Gidado inexplicably omitted a crucial part of her presentation, which claimed GMOs are edible vaccines, leaving many questioning the NBRDA’s transparency.

This came amidst a rising demand for answers from Nigerians, who feel their health, food security, and sovereignty are being threatened by foreign corporate bodies.

Also, she maintained that introducing genetically modified seeds is safe despite contrary scientific research proving otherwise.

Meanwhile, over 16 countries have banned the commercialisation of GMO seeds, while others mainly restricted their use to laboratory research only.

It will be recalled that West Africa Weekly reported that the federal government approved the commercialisation of the GMO variety named TELA maize—an approval which sparked and continues to fuel a debate on its safety.

Read more: China Sanctions US-owned Lockheed Over Arms Sales To Taiwan

About The Author

Written by
Mayowa Durosinmi

M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

Related Articles

NAFDAC Recall Dove Soap
HealthNews

NAFDAC Warns Against Dove Soap, Deodorants Due to Risks to Reproductive Health and Unborn Children

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has...

HealthNews

‘Evil Twin of GMOs’: Nigerian Expert Sounds Alarm on Glyphosate Herbicide Use in Rural Farming

Segun Adebayo, Director of Operations at the Centre for Food Safety and...

HealthNews

Nigerians May Pay More for Medicines After Trump’s Pharmaceutical Price Cuts

Nigerians may pay more for prescription drugs following President Donald Trump’s announcement...

Mali Mango Industry Economy
FoodNews

Mango Industry Contributes $16.5 Million Annually to Mali’s Economy – Interprofessional Association

Mali’s mango industry contributes approximately 10 billion CFA francs ($16.5 million) to...