Nigeria Approves Commercial Release of GM Maize Varieties

Chibuzor Emejor On Jan 12, 2024



The Federal government of Nigeria has approved the commercial release of transgenic insect-resistant and drought-tolerant maize varieties, known as TELA maize.

The approval was granted by the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries (NCNRRCVLF) headed by Prof Olusoji Olufajo at its 37th meeting at the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan on January 11, 2024.

A statement on Friday explained that the four varieties approved by the NVRC are, SAMMAZ 72T, SAMMAZ 73T, SAMMAZ 74T, and SAMMAZ 75T.

The new maize varieties are drought tolerant and are resistant to stem-borer and fall armyworm resulting in a yield advantage of up to 10 tonnes per hectare under good agronomic practices.

The national average for similar hybrids is 6 tonnes per hectare. The varieties are suitable for Rain Forest, Guinea, and Sudan Savannas.

Stem borers reduce maize production in several countries in Africa, while fall armyworms can destroy up to 20 million metric tons of maize in Africa each year, enough to feed 100 million people.

The release and registration of the four varieties followed environmental release approval in October 2021 granted by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA).

Development of the improved varieties was led by the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Samaru, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria through the TELA Maize Public-Private Partnership coordinated by AATF.

The TELA Maize Project is currently being implemented in 5 countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Prof Ado Yusuf, Executive Director, IAR expressed satisfaction with the release of the new four maize varieties saying, “IAR is very proud of our scientists who are addressing the maize productivity challenges in the country and beyond.

“These varieties have undergone thorough research and have been developed using the tools of biotechnology over several years of continuous testing and revalidation.”

Dr Canisius Kanangire, Executive Director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation(AATF) said, “The release of TELA Maize in Nigeria will contribute to food and nutrition security in line with the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation agenda.

“AATF reaffirms unwavering commitment to addressing challenges faced by farmers across the continent.”

Professor Garba Sharubutu, the Executive Secretary, of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), said the approval of the TELA Maize variety in Nigeria is a critical milestone that confirms the potential of biotechnology in ensuring food and nutrition security, and improved livelihood of farming households in Africa.

Prof. Mustapha Abdullahi, Director-General, of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) celebrated the release saying that, with the advent of TELA Maize, farmers will reduce the use of pesticides on maize to the bare minimum which is beneficial to humans, livestock, and the environment.

Dr Sylvester Oikeh, the TELA Maize Project Manager celebrated the decision by Nigeria by calling on other countries in Africa to act for farmers.

“I am encouraged by this decision by the Federal Government of Nigeria that reflects their commitment to the needs of farmers.

“I congratulate the scientists for their hard work and dedication that has seen the product getting closer to farmers and look forward to other countries making similar decisions for the good of the farmer,” he said.

The other partners in the TELA Maize project include National Agricultural Research Institutes in Kenya, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and South Africa, the International Maize, and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Bayer, with funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and USAID.

Dpharisee:
Na all these Genetically Modified food dey follow cause increase in strange ailments like cancer.
Even many countries don't encourage GM products, we didn't have prevalence of cancers when we ate basic organic foods, it was sickness for rich people who thought that eating cornbeef instead of native chicken was a status symbol.

Paraman:
almost every crop people around the world are eating are genetically modified.

Birdbyrde440:


Growing GM or involving in GM activities is considered a terrorist activity in Russia.

mrvitalis:
Is corn native to Africa?
How about cassava is it native to Africa?
Oh wait what of potato
Oh and sweet potato?
How about plantain
Oh how about banana?
Did I forget oranges?
Mangos?
Pineapples
Bros if the West wanted us dead we would have been longed dead
Ask Argentina

CandidAdmin:


I still don't trust them when it comes to food.

Paraman:
Show me where you got this from. Such a news will be reported by major news outlets in Russia and around the world.

mrvitalis:

Is corn native to Africa?

How about cassava is it native to Africa?

Oh wait what of potato

Oh and sweet potato?

How about plantain

Oh how about banana?

Did I forget oranges?

Mangos?

Pineapples

Bros if the West wanted us dead we would have been longed dead

Ask Argentina

mrvitalis:

The above listed food I mentioned who gave you the food?

You don't trust them because if they want you dead you won't be dead?

You import drugs and chemical from them but na food planted and harvested you dey fear?

CandidAdmin:


Whatever sir!
My own is my own.

Zulu11zulu:
The people who allow this should be invested the take millions of dollars bribes to feed Nigeria brigade poison

I trust my people south east will never plant that poison

The federal government should investigate the activities of some wite donor in Nigeria.,
The people want to control food security in Nigeria,

You think all this killing against the food basket of Nigeria is not sponsored by American criminals who want to destroy out God given food and impose thire poison on us

Nigerian farmers welcome new cassava varieties: ‘My joy knows no bounds’

...The cassava varieties approved for release — Game-Changer, Hope, Obasanjo-2, Baba-70 and Poundable — were developed by the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), with support from NextGen Cassava, a project based in Cornell University’s Department of Global Development.

The five new varieties are meant to serve three different market segments: granulated and paste products (garri/fufu), cassava for industry (starch) and fresh market consumption, said Chiedozie Egesi, project lead for NextGen.


Dr. Chiedozie Egesi. Credit: Cornell

mrvitalis:

What exactly is your own?
What do you produce?
They want you dead and you are not dead?

mrvitalis:

What exactly is your own?
What do you produce?

They want you dead and you are not dead?

DaddyJapan:


He is correct. The Russian parliament passed a law about a decade ago, which makes growing GM food for anything other than research purposes an offence.

For disclosure: I am not anti-GMO advocate, although I draw the line with seedless crops.

RenaissanceGuy:
Must he be the one to have died? What if up to a million other people have died by eating GM foods which people are unaware of??

Paraman:
Show me your source

mrvitalis:

If the Western world wants all Africans dead we won't survive it

We don't even produce our own drugs

So just one state recorded 424,304 live births in a single year?

For perspective, 605,749 live births were recorded in England and Wales in 2022. Yes, that's across two nations with a combined population of 60.2 million - and 15 times the population of Gombe state!

To be clear, estimates for the population of Gombe state range from 3,472,223 to 3,960,100, while official figures given for England and Wales is 60.2 million. Yet there are a lot of dim-witted commentators on NL who still insist Nigeria is being depopulated by Bill Gates!

mrvitalis:

If the Western world wants all Africans dead we won't survive it

We don't even produce our own drugs

DaddyJapan:


I did not conjure up the point I made out of thin air, so you need to do some research of your own.

Paraman:
If you can't provide a source, then you made it out of thin air. GMO foods were not banned by Putin.

DaddyJapan:


Suit yourself.