An agri-tech entrepreneur, Gloria Idemudia, says commercialised biotech crops are boosting yields, farmer incomes and food security in Nigeria.
Idemudia said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, while nothing that farmers had recorded improved productivity from biotech varieties.
She said Bt cotton, Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea and TELA maize were providing farmers with opportunities to produce more than traditional varieties.
“TELA maize, in particular, has recorded yield increases of between 20 and 35 per cent, even under pest pressure and erratic rainfall,” she said.
According to her, improved yields are translating into better incomes for farmers while strengthening rural livelihoods and contributing to national food security.
Idemudia also highlighted reduced pesticide use as another major benefit of commercialised biotech crops, particularly PBR cowpea.
She said the cowpea variety’s resistance to Maruca pests meant farmers could reduce chemical spraying, thereby lowering production costs and associated health risks.
“Reduced pesticide use also helps to minimise environmental damage associated with excessive chemical application,” the entrepreneur said.
However, Idemudia identified regulatory enforcement, seed access and public perception as challenges that could affect the sustainability of biotech agriculture.
She told NAN that although Nigeria had established a biosafety framework, monitoring and compliance remained uneven, requiring stronger enforcement to sustain public confidence.
Idemudia also raised concerns about seed sovereignty, saying farmers’ dependence on biotech seed companies could limit their autonomy and increase production costs.
She said smallholder farmers could face greater difficulty accessing or affording biotech seeds compared with larger commercial agricultural enterprises.
“Equitable access must remain central to biotechnology policies if smallholder farmers are to benefit fully from these innovations,” she told NAN.
On public perception, Idemudia said misinformation and polarised debates surrounding genetically modified crops continued to fuel distrust despite scientific evidence supporting their safety.
She called for transparent labelling and stronger public education to enable farmers and consumers to make informed decisions about biotech crops.
The entrepreneur said the long-term benefits of biotechnology would depend on effective regulation, inclusive access, transparent policies and continued stakeholder engagement.
“Biotech crops can help farmers grow more with fewer inputs, but issues of trust, affordability and seed control must be addressed,” she said.
Idemudia urged policymakers to strengthen regulatory systems while developing measures that would make improved seeds accessible to smallholder farmers across the country.(NAN)
