Managing Public expectation on GMOs in Nigeria Presented

Managing Public expectation on GMOs in Nigeria Presented by Dr. C. Onyia Godfrey Okoye University at the AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOSAFETY WORKSHOP 17 TH – 18 TH MARCH, 2016

Outline • • • What are GMOs Concerns Around GMOs Promise Public expectations of GMO Managing Public Expectations of GMOs? Conclusion

What are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are Plants/ Animals/Microorganisms or their products derived from modern biotechnology processes. They are organisms that have added genes or deleted genes for value addition.

Many of the technologies developed by scientists worldwide are now part of our every day living. These scientific discoveries and innovations are to: • Increase human life span • Enhance work-play balance • Improve the quality of life

Ironically, before they were eventually accepted, they had to undergo different degrees of skepticism, uncertainty, resistance and fear which still exist even after the adoption.

CONCERNS ABOUT MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GMOS • ARE THEY SAFE? • ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS? • PATENTING OF SEEDS • WHO BENEFITS? • SHOULD THEY BE LABELLED?

The Surveys of Public feeling highlight the central issue as being the influence of biotech crops on health, rather than effects on environment or food security • Will these so-called Franken foods make me ill? • Will I be allergic to them? • Do they cause Cancer? This is the natural position to take and one that is really no different to that which we all have for all types of the food. S

120% 100% 92% 90% 88% 80% 90% 80% 60% 40% 20% 16% 8% 16% 4% 4% 0% PRESS GSS BSN 8% 15% 10% 4% Yes. NSMNo 3% Undecided SENATE GSN 7% 5% LEGAL ISAAA LAUNCH Data from OFAB sessions in 2014 shows that a higher number of Nigerians will readily consume GM food knowing its benefits.

Compared to data from US Adults, A higher Percentage of them will not readily consume GM Foods. This is because its promise is more realistic for the developing countries more than developed countries since they are already food secure.

The Promise Developed Countries • • Large ($ wise) industrialized agricultural sector • Traditionally high yields using conventional crops • Few employed in agriculture, many pure consumers • Low incidence of disease or malnutrition • Wealthy consumers not price sensitive Developing Countries • Large unevenly industrialized agriculture • Traditionally low yields with conventional crops • Highly susceptible to drought and crop disease • Many employed in agriculture, very few pure consumers • High incidence of disease and malnutrition • Poor consumers are price sensitive

The Reality Developed Countries • Relatively low immediate benefits of GMOs • Wealthy consumers not price sensitive • Can help domestic agriculture by setting up barriers • Discriminate against GMOs • China an interesting case Developing Countries • Very high immediate benefits of GMOs • Poor consumers are price sensitive • Cannot adopt if export markets will discriminate • Low adoption rates in much of the developing world GMOs could significantly reduce poverty and inequality

Public Expectations of GMO

Expectations of Farmers – Pest and Insect resistant crops – High yielding crops leading to bountiful harvest. – Drought tolerant crops – Climate change stable varieties of food crops. – Cleaner & arable environment due to the development of bacteria that biodegrade environmental pollutants

Expectations of Farmers contd. . . • . – Using less land, – Less water, – Less energy, – Fewer chemicals, – With less tillage, – Less waste, – More stable yields, – Better livelihoods for farmers

To the consumer – GMOs can potentially ensure food availability even in the face of adverse weather conditions – Lower costs of production helping to control the net costs of foods – increased food supply for rural and urban poor who represent the majority of the Nigerian population. – Longer shelf life vegetables e. g. tomatoes – Nutritionally enhanced crops – Availability of food all round the year. – And more affordable food

The Effect of GMOS to the Nation • • • Reduced Poverty Enhanced food security Strengthened rural economies Increase in International trade competitiveness Increased GDP. Conservation of foreign exchanged. Industrialization Job/wealth creation. Environmental sustainability

HOW DO WE MANAGE THESE EXPECTATIONS ?

Managing Public Expectations: Transparency of Interests There is need to make our valuations explicit and our interests transparent. Assessing the contribution of genetic engineering to fighting hunger in developing countries is not simply an academic task involving facts and figures and rational evaluation. The interpretation of data is subject to the interests and value judgments of a variety of stakeholders.

Managing Public Expectations contd. . – That is why there is need for adequate communication among various stakeholders with coherent messaging – Farmers, the end users of this technology needs to be adequately trained on various agronomic practices while growing this GM seeds to avoid failure or poor production.

Managing Expections contd. . . • The Public should informed that the products developed include seeds, agronomic practices and other inputs to reduce the impact of pests and stress as well as improved yield opportunity and profitability. • Defining a system in agricultural terms: – A system can be defined as “a combination of related parts organized into a complex whole. ” – The crop a grower harvests each year is the result of the related parts working together. – For example, all the farmers’ inputs (e. g. seeds and chemicals) and agronomic practices (e. g. planting decisions) that have been used throughout the planting and growing season work together to produce the farmers’ final yield result. – A systems-based pipeline product is one which combines germplasm selected for its drought-tolerant characteristics or pest resistant characteristics with biotechnology drought-tolerance trait and agronomic practice recommendations for the farmer to help protect yield potential. • As a systems-based product is created, their components (i. e. seed and agronomic solutions) must be developed jointly in a system to ensure desired product performance delivery.

Maximizing Yield Potential On Each Acre Takes A System Of Solutions CHALLENGE: DISEASES OPPORTUNITY: Multiple R&D platforms = Multiple Solutions Breeding Biotech WEED CONTROL INSECT CONTROL STRESS TOLERANCE In between the planting and harvesting of a crop, a lot of factors can limit yield. DISEASE CONTROL Maximizing Total Yield Potential TOTAL YIELD Agronomic Solutions

Managing Expectations. . . i. In between the planting and harvesting of a crop, there are many conditions that can arise on each acre preventing optimal yield. Primary examples are insect pressure, diseases, weeds competing for the same nutrients in the soil, and poor weather conditions. ii. There is no single answer or silver bullet solution to eliminating these challenges from farmers’ lives. Farmers need every tool at their disposal to minimize the impact that these conditions can have on yield. iii. By expanding and integrating R&D platforms, the capability to deliver multiple types of solutions for farmers to combat the challenges are there. And we also help ensure that these solutions would work together in a complimentary way to maximize total yield potential. iv. By taking a more integrated, systems-based approach to product development, business is more closely aligned with that of farmers, who would use these tools in their system of crop production.

ITS AN INTEGRATED “SYSTEM “ APPROACH GERMPLASM AGRONOMIC PRACTICES • Farm-level Recommendations P 23 Monsanto in EMEA • Disease Tolerance • Drought Tolerance • Yield Potential TRAIT PACKAGES • Insect Control • Weed Control • Drought Tolerance

Managing Public Expectations q. University-based scientists should be given communication trainings and updated information materials because they are frequently sought for information. These scientists have been assessed trustworthy source of information. q. Encouraging and training members of the different stakeholder groups to use web sites. This could possibly lead to better management of public expectations on GMOs.

Managing Public Expectations I. Newsletters, pamphlets, and brochures should be continuously used to disseminate information on GMOs. Respondents have the most trust on this sources. Publications like these can be printed in the dialects to reach more audiences. II. Communication materials should focus more on providing correct and more accurate information about GMOs.

CONCLUSION GMOs hold the promise of great benefits to consumers • Not all of those benefits are yet realized • Blanket policies now shuts the door to innovation • GMOs are not all the same • Great benefits also in developing world • The GMO label can deceive consumers • Often the deception is about what is not labelled in competing products

Thank You