Environmental group says farmers must retain control of seeds to safeguard indigenous crops and biodiversity
The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has intensified its campaign against the adoption of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Nigeria, warning that increasing dependence on genetically engineered seeds could undermine the country’s indigenous crop varieties, erode biodiversity and weaken farmers’ control over food production.
The environmental advocacy organization made the call on Thursday during a one-day farmers’ training on agroecology held at the Be The Help Foundation Farm in Dama-Kusa Village, Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). At the training, farmers were introduced to sustainable farming techniques designed to improve productivity without reliance on genetically modified seeds or synthetic agricultural chemicals.
The training forms part of HOMEF’s broader advocacy for agroecology, which promotes environmentally friendly farming practices, biodiversity conservation and the preservation of farmers’ rights to save, exchange and replant indigenous seeds.
Speaking with journalists after the training, HOMEF’s Director of Programmes, Joyce Brown, said the organization sought to demonstrate that sustainable agricultural productivity could be achieved through ecological farming systems rather than through genetically modified crops.
She warned that one of the greatest dangers posed by GMOs is the gradual contamination and possible disappearance of Nigeria’s indigenous crop varieties through gene flow during pollination.
“One of the major implications that GMOs pose for Nigeria is the risk of losing our indigenous crop varieties. Through pollination, genes can transfer from GMOs to our local crops, and in the long run we risk losing our own varieties. The loss of biodiversity is also a major implication.”
— Joyce Brown, Director of Programmes, HOMEF
Brown argued that although GMOs are often promoted as a solution to food insecurity, they fail to address the structural problems confronting agriculture in Nigeria, including inadequate extension services, climate change and insufficient government support for smallholder farmers.
According to her, what farmers require is access to sustainable farming knowledge, climate-resilient production systems and policies that empower local food producers rather than dependence on expensive technologies.
“We brought farmers here to see for themselves that there are alternatives to GMOs and synthetic pesticides. The agroecological system being practised here shows that we do not need GMOs to increase food productivity. What farmers need is greater support, better extension services and climate-resilient farming practices,” she stated.
Brown also criticized what she described as weak regulatory oversight of genetically modified products in Nigeria, urging the Federal Government to adopt a clearer policy direction on biotechnology.
“There is an agency established to regulate GMOs, but other agencies are bypassing it to approve these products. Nigerians are not assured of the safety of what they are eating. Government must take a definitive position and increase support for farmers instead,” she added.
She noted that several countries across the world have imposed restrictions on the cultivation or importation of specific genetically modified crops in order to protect indigenous farming systems and biodiversity, urging Nigeria to formulate policies that reflect its own agricultural realities and food security priorities.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of the Be The Help Foundation, Samuel Kwasari, described agroecology as a practical pathway towards achieving sustainable agriculture, environmental restoration and long-term food security.
Kwasari, who identified himself as the foundation’s “Chief Farmer,” explained that the organization operates a regenerative agriculture model built around agroforestry, integrating crop cultivation with tree planting to restore degraded landscapes while improving farmers’ incomes.
“Our practice is regenerative agriculture through agroecology, using agroforestry as our major model. We want to produce food sustainably without harming the environment or human health. What you eat is what you are, so food should be safe and free from synthetic chemicals,” he said.
He explained that the farming model incorporates soil restoration, water conservation, nutrient recycling and carbon sequestration through carefully selected tree species that not only improve ecological health but also provide economic benefits from timber, firewood and carbon credits.
Kwasari described agroecology as a fusion of scientific knowledge and traditional farming practices adapted to local ecological conditions, stressing that sustainable agriculture must work with nature rather than against it.
He also drew a distinction between food sufficiency and food sovereignty, insisting that true food security extends beyond having enough food to include the freedom of farmers to determine what they cultivate and consume.
“Food sufficiency means you have food to eat. Food sovereignty means you have food and choice. It means you control what you grow, how you grow it and what you eat. Agroecology helps us achieve that because farmers remain in control of their seeds and production systems,” he explained.
According to him, Nigeria’s recurring food shortages are largely the result of inadequate planning and years of neglect of local food producers despite the country’s rapidly expanding population.
“We have had food production deficits for years. Government needs policies that enable local and indigenous food growers to produce for domestic consumption first. Let people grow their food, eat it first, and export only the surplus,” he said.
Kwasari maintained that HOMEF’s opposition to GMOs is rooted in practical demonstrations rather than theory, noting that the foundation has spent seven years proving that agroecology and agroforestry can deliver sustainable agricultural productivity.
“For seven years we have demonstrated that agroecology and agroforestry work. One of our greatest concerns with GMOs is that farmers lose control of their seeds. Once you lose seed sovereignty, you lose food sovereignty because someone else begins to determine what you plant and how you farm,” he said.
On pest management, he explained that the farm relies on integrated ecological approaches rather than chemical pesticides, maintaining biodiversity to naturally regulate pest populations while producing organic bio-fertilisers on-site to nourish crops.
“We intentionally design the farm so that insects and other organisms have their place within the ecosystem. We don’t focus on killing pests; we manage them. We also produce our own local bio-fertilisers on the farm, and those are what we use to nourish our crops,” he added.
While HOMEF reiterated its opposition to GMOs during the training, it is worth noting that supporters of genetically modified crops, including several scientific and regulatory bodies, argue that approved GM crops can increase yields, improve resistance to pests and climate stresses, and are considered safe when subjected to established regulatory assessments. The debate over GMOs therefore remains one of the most contested issues in agricultural policy, balancing food security objectives, environmental concerns, farmers’ rights and scientific evidence.
