ABUJA – Dr Olalekan Akinbo, a consultant on Biosafety to Federal Ministry of Environment, on Tuesday recommended the use of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) to boost agricultural production.
Akinbo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that GMO has more benefits than risk.
GMO is a modern bio-technology designed to improve farm yields and livestock production.
He said that a cost-benefit analysis of the technology indicated that the benefits far outnumbered the risks.
“Each technology has challenges of perception and adaptation, though the benefits of such a technology determine its adaptability.
“Although, every new technology has its own fear, acceptability rate, adaptation rate, but if care is not taken, people may abuse such a technology.
“The world itself is not totally risk-free, but it is still habitable, though if a foundation of a technology is opposed, we should look carefully at the financial interest of groups and individuals.
“This new bio-technology is not as risky as the technology of cars, electricity and aircraft, but there is a general adaptability of those technologies.
“This very technology is not a technology outside the normal technology; it is an evolving one because crops in their natural form have undergone modification process.
“ Environment has its symbiotic way of taking care of itself but if the technology is properly adopted, fear is no longer there,’’ said the consultant.
While advising that international guidelines must be followed, Akimbo said that the objective of the new technology was to fast tract the interest of humanity.[eap_ad_2]
He advocated for capacity building and establishment of regulators to ensure the misapplication of GMOs.
The environmental specialist, however, said that the acceptability of any technology was an issue of choice, adding that the new technology must not be imposed on the people.
He said that Nigeria was signatory to the Cartagena protocol on bio-safety, noting that people should accept the technology at their liberty.
NAN recalls that the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement aimed at ensuring the safe handling of living modified organisms (LMOs).
It is also to determine its transport and use resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity, and also to take into account risks to human health.
He also stressed the need to develop the capacity to administer the new technology, urging the National Assembly to speed up the process of legislation for the country to start benefiting from the technology.
“The objective of this technology is to fast tract and quickens the interest of humanity, though the international guidelines must be followed.
“Nigerians should know that the national bio-safety office is working with international partners.
“Capacity building is expensive, but there must be a legal framework.
“The National Assembly must speed up the process so that an agency would be created to regulate the technology so that Nigeria will enjoy the benefits of the technology on our economy,’’ he said. (NAN)[eap_ad_3]
Expert recommends GMO technology for improved production
Loading...
