Post by Trade Coach on May 14, 2022 18:30:13 GMT 1
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): What Do Nigerian Farmers Know About Them – Part 1?
In this article, we are starting a series that is very dear to our hearts and very important in the field of Agriculture not only in Nigeria but the world over. We will delve into so many areas that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) have affected us and how Nigerian farmers are reacting to it.
As a farmer, it is very important you follow us so as to learn what these strange languages mean and how it affects you in the scheme of things. We promise to do justice to the matter.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a lot of people and organizations all over the world have been curious and sending questions requesting answers from them for a long time. We are also curious here, that’s the reason for this article series on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO).
People want to know the nature and safety of genetically modified food in particular. In Nigeria when people hear about genetically modified food, a certain amount of fear creeps into their hearts thinking of some sort of poison inserted into the crops in an effort to modify them from their God created nature to something strange or dangerous for human consumption.
What Are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) And Genetically Modified Foods (GMFs)?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur by mating and/or natural recombination. The technology is often called “modern biotechnology” or “gene technology”, sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”.
It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, also between nonrelated species. Foods produced from or using Genetically Modified Organisms are often referred to as Genetically Modified Foods.
According to NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms, Microorganism is an organism that can be seen only through a microscope. Microorganisms include but not limited to bacteria, protozoa, algae, and fungi. Even viruses that are not considered as living organisms can sometimes be considered as microorganisms.
I have taken my time to go through these fundamental definitions of terms you will most likely meet in the course of this series of articles; it will help us understand where we are coming from and where we are going to.
Why Are GM Foods Produced?
Another important question to ask is: why are GM foods produced in the first instance? The answer to this is very important and especially to Nigerians and Africans in general.
If you do your research very well, you will discover that most foods consumed in advanced countries today are genetically modified; but in Africa, fear and prejudices have prevented the continent from becoming self-sufficient in food by rejecting the technology. Why is this so?
Back to the question, why are GM foods produced? The answer is simple, from the side of the producers, they have something to gain; they are not Father Christmas, they are businessmen and women and they are there to produce and make profit.
To the side of the consumer, there is also a perceived advantage, otherwise no sane consumer would like to waste money on something that is of no value to him or her.
Reports have it that initially GM seed developers wanted their products to be accepted by producers and have concentrated on innovations that bring direct benefit to farmers and the food industry generally.
If you study deep, you will surely discover that one of the major objectives of developing plants and seeds based GM organisms is to improve crop protection.
The major problems facing many underdeveloped African countries in the area of decreasing yield in their agricultural produce is lack of crop protection. Without crop protection, how do you expect an African farmer without technology to fight pests with bare hands? It is not possible; the yield will continue to be low.
A very important aspect of GM crops is that resistance against insects is achieved by incorporating into the food plant the gene for toxin production from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
We will continue with the series in our next articles. You need to stay with us so as to learn this very important technology.
Our company is one of the best companies in Agro-Export Business in Nigeria today, we train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
In this article, we are starting a series that is very dear to our hearts and very important in the field of Agriculture not only in Nigeria but the world over. We will delve into so many areas that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) have affected us and how Nigerian farmers are reacting to it.
As a farmer, it is very important you follow us so as to learn what these strange languages mean and how it affects you in the scheme of things. We promise to do justice to the matter.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a lot of people and organizations all over the world have been curious and sending questions requesting answers from them for a long time. We are also curious here, that’s the reason for this article series on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO).
People want to know the nature and safety of genetically modified food in particular. In Nigeria when people hear about genetically modified food, a certain amount of fear creeps into their hearts thinking of some sort of poison inserted into the crops in an effort to modify them from their God created nature to something strange or dangerous for human consumption.
What Are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) And Genetically Modified Foods (GMFs)?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur by mating and/or natural recombination. The technology is often called “modern biotechnology” or “gene technology”, sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”.
It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, also between nonrelated species. Foods produced from or using Genetically Modified Organisms are often referred to as Genetically Modified Foods.
According to NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms, Microorganism is an organism that can be seen only through a microscope. Microorganisms include but not limited to bacteria, protozoa, algae, and fungi. Even viruses that are not considered as living organisms can sometimes be considered as microorganisms.
I have taken my time to go through these fundamental definitions of terms you will most likely meet in the course of this series of articles; it will help us understand where we are coming from and where we are going to.
Why Are GM Foods Produced?
Another important question to ask is: why are GM foods produced in the first instance? The answer to this is very important and especially to Nigerians and Africans in general.
If you do your research very well, you will discover that most foods consumed in advanced countries today are genetically modified; but in Africa, fear and prejudices have prevented the continent from becoming self-sufficient in food by rejecting the technology. Why is this so?
Back to the question, why are GM foods produced? The answer is simple, from the side of the producers, they have something to gain; they are not Father Christmas, they are businessmen and women and they are there to produce and make profit.
To the side of the consumer, there is also a perceived advantage, otherwise no sane consumer would like to waste money on something that is of no value to him or her.
Reports have it that initially GM seed developers wanted their products to be accepted by producers and have concentrated on innovations that bring direct benefit to farmers and the food industry generally.
If you study deep, you will surely discover that one of the major objectives of developing plants and seeds based GM organisms is to improve crop protection.
The major problems facing many underdeveloped African countries in the area of decreasing yield in their agricultural produce is lack of crop protection. Without crop protection, how do you expect an African farmer without technology to fight pests with bare hands? It is not possible; the yield will continue to be low.
A very important aspect of GM crops is that resistance against insects is achieved by incorporating into the food plant the gene for toxin production from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
We will continue with the series in our next articles. You need to stay with us so as to learn this very important technology.
Our company is one of the best companies in Agro-Export Business in Nigeria today, we train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.