Farmers in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory have expressed confidence in the ability of Genetically Modified (GM) crops to improve their farm yields.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Farmers Field Day held on Wednesday in Kuje, Abuja, the farmers urged the government to provide more support through access to farm inputs.
The event was organized by the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) in collaboration with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
Mr. Cyprian Ede, a farmer who cultivates three hectares of Tela maize, dismissed claims that GM crops prevent the growth of other plants on the same land.
Tela maize, a GM variety, is engineered with Bt genes that protect against pests like stem borers and fall armyworms while also enhancing drought tolerance.
“At least, I did post-emergency weed management, which means grass can grow, as you can see,” Ede said.
“I will not waste my money trying to manage grass inside this maize farm; these were grasses on the farm which were cleared.
“As the effect of the post-emergency herbicide subsided, grasses started growing on my farm again.”
Ede, who turned to farming due to economic challenges, said he had been engaged in agriculture since 2017.
Commenting on the yield of Tela maize, he stated:
“In 10 plots, which is a hectare of land, if I should factor in the theft, I think it is about 42 bags.”
He noted that compared to other maize varieties that require treatment for fall armyworm, the Tela variety had no insect threats and demonstrated strong drought resistance.
Ede called on the Federal Government to subsidize farm inputs, particularly seeds, to help farmers achieve better yields and support economic growth.
Similarly, Mrs. Judith Okpanachi, a beans farmer, told NAN that after three years of cultivating Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea, she had not encountered any issues with other crops growing on the same soil.
Mr. Ndaman Dantani, a farmer from Chibiri Community, admitted that before starting his two-hectare PBR cowpea farm four years ago, he was initially hesitant due to negative claims about GM crops.
“But when we began using the variety for some years, we realized that there were great advantages over the other ones,” he said.
One of the key benefits, according to Dantani, is the reduced need for chemical sprays. Unlike conventional beans, which require spraying seven to eight times, the PBR variety only needs treatment two or three times, making it more cost-effective.
“Also, during harvest, if you do not harvest on time, it will be falling down and you will lose your farm; but this one, it will wrap and still stand erect.
“And again, the most advantageous part of it is that if you harvest, the leaves will still remain green,” Dantani said.
He highlighted how PBR cowpea farming had provided financial stability, enabling him to meet family expenses such as school fees and feeding.
Dantani urged the government to expand GM crop initiatives to more communities and ensure greater accessibility.
“Government should also send more extension agents with this type of seed variety and they should make the seeds available for the reach of the common man,” he added.
