By Rakiya A.Muhammad
At first, Bello Aliyu was hesitant to embrace the new Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) Cowpea Seed—a genetically modified crop engineered to defy pests’ destructive effects and boost Nigeria’s agricultural output.
The forty-four-year-old farmer says his reluctance stems from unfamiliarity and uncertainty over how it would turn out. “I learned to love the new cowpea type when I met a farmer who showed me his cowpea field in Kano, “Aliyu reveals.
“He told me about the significant decrease in pesticide usage, which immediately piqued my interest.”
Farmers heavily rely on chemicals to control pests such as the Maruca pod borer, which significantly impacts cowpea crops. Aliyu is concerned about the environmental and human consequences of pesticide exposure.Therefore, he believes biotech cowpea solves a significant production issue.
In contrast to Aliyu, Malama Fatima’s initial response was to jump at the idea of a PBR cowpea the moment it presented itself.
Pest infestations and the expensive nature of insecticides significantly impact smallholder farmers, leading to decreased income and productivity.
Farmers report that pod borer infestations cause significant losses to their output.
“When pests attacked, it was usually quite catastrophic. I lost 80% of my agricultural production to pests the last time, “Malama Fatima discloses.
“Thus, when I discovered the new variety, I was anxious to give it a shot to tackle this devastating issue. I’m pleased with the decision to plant the variety. My harvest was twice as large as before, and I saved much money on inputs. “
Fatima attended the biotech cowpea’s commercial debut, where she gained insight into the breakthrough.
Many consider the commercial launch of the Pod-Borer-Resistant (PBR) Cowpea in Nigeria in 2021 to be a turning point in the history of agricultural research and development.
The Nigerian Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) approved the commercial release of genetically modified cowpeas to Nigerian farmers in 2019, following over two decades of research field trials and risk assessment by various organisations.
Scientists from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria’s Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), and other international partners worked together to develop PBR Cowpea, officially known as SAMPEA 20-T in Nigeria, as a biotech food crop that is resistant to the pest Maruca vibrata. The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) coordinated the project.
During the 2020 growing season, 28 locations across Adamawa, Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara, Kebbi, and the Plateau conducted on-farm demonstration trials before the debut.
Experts highlight the advantages of using PBR cowpea, which include a substantial decrease in the need for chemical pesticides, promotion of environmental sustainability, and improvement in the health outcomes of farmers and their communities.
AATF, a non-profit African organisation that provides farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa with practical technology solutions to overcome farm productivity constraints, underscores the need for PBR cowpeas.
“Farmers currently rely on the use of chemical pesticides to control this and other pests, but this is often not effective because the chemicals do not reach the pest larvae inside the plant tissues, “it notes.
“The chemicals are also expensive; their availability to farmers is limited; and due to inadequate training in their use, often led to unintended human health and safety impacts.“
It adds that “pesticides to control Maruca are expensive and are not always available. This results in some farmers using unapproved chemicals to protect cowpea crops and other farmers having to tolerate the damage because they do not have any effective way to control Maruca. “
Kwaw Andam is the Country Programme Leader of IFPRI Nigeria and a Senior Research Fellow at IFPRI’s Development Strategies and Governance unit. He says that ongoing research on the impact evaluation of the PBR cowpea SAMPEA 20T variety in Nigeria shows that cowpea losses due to infestations is encouraging PBR uptake.
The evaluation assessed the effects of PBR cowpea use at the household level on critical cowpea production and productivity outcomes in Adamawa and Kwara states.
According to the baseline study, Maruca impacts more than half of the cowpea area, with 95% of farmers using pesticides and 85% using herbicides. The average plot size for cowpea cultivation is 3.1 hectares, with 5.3 litres of pesticides used per hectare. Pesticides are valued at N24,200 and herbicides at N25,500.
The Senior Research Fellow concludes from the quantitative survey that PBR cowpea can control Maruca, thereby reducing harvest losses.
While identifying high pesticide and herbicide application costs, he points out that PBR cowpeas can reduce pesticide costs and applications, improving the income and health of farm households.
Andam notes that cowpea is commercial, with 60% of production sold and 11% consumed, adding that investment in cowpea can improve food system transformation.
“As the first commercially released genetically modified food crop in Nigeria and globally for cowpea, its adoption represents a significant milestone in the agricultural landscape, “he states.
“Developers of the PBR variety expect that by 2025, 25 per cent of Nigerian cowpea farmers will adopt this variety, generating yield gains of at least 20 per cent for adopting farmers, with an accompanying reduction in pesticide applications. “
Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, the Director General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), emphasises the benefits of the enhanced variety.
“Biotechnology has already shown its potential with benefits demonstrated across 30 countries and farmers big and small from pest-resistant crop varieties to biofortified staples packed with crucial vitamins and minerals, agricultural biotechnology offered solutions for greater productivity and food access, “ he says.
“Today, farmers are applying only two insecticide sprays against 10 sprays previously, as a result of planting the PBR cowpea. Farmers are also planting Bt Cotton, another innovative product from modern technology that is changing the game in cotton farming and the hope of a textile industry revival. “
Many see biotech cowpeas as a potential solution. Still, others oppose its adoption due to worries about recolonisation, economic sabotage, the loss of conventional seeds, land degradation, and perceived health risks.
However, authoritative bodies have debunked these, consistently reassuring the public that foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) officially approved , are indeed safe for human consumption.
The National Biosafety Management Agency, responsible for ensuring biosafety in Nigeria, reiterates it won’t release any GMOs that is not safe.
Dr. Rufus Ebegba, NBMA Director General, explains that GMOs undergo rigorous scientific tests before the regulatory agency officially certifies their use.
He stresses that working with all required agencies and stakeholders to achieve this goal serves the country’s interests, adding the government has approved the commercial sale of three crops: PBR cowpea, Tela maise, and corn cotton.
“Apart from the fact that it will solve specific problems by subsisting with them, it will also enhance the economy, “ he says
“For instance, by reducing the use of chemicals, a farmer can achieve a bumper harvest, eliminating the cost of certain substances and mitigating their impact on human health. Reduced greenhouse gas emissions from chemicals in the environment will also occur. “
Jean Baptiste, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation AATF Regional Representative for West Africa, also points out the stringent scientific investigations and regulatory processes undertaken to guarantee the safety and efficacy of genetically modified crops.
Baptiste adds that AATF and partners have developed PBR varieties engineered to resist the destructive effects of the pod borer, offering a sustainable solution to improve yields and enhance farmer livelihoods.
The regional representative is reaching out to stakeholders, including traditional leaders, to promote the use of PBR cowpeas. Baptiste highlights the benefits of PBR, including lower pesticide use, higher yields, and better food security for rural households.
