Research conducted by the Cornell University Alliance for Science, an independent nonprofit research institute, observed that Nigeria imports an estimated 500,000 tonnes of cowpea annually to meet its 3.6 million tonnes annual local demand.

This was attributed to the low yields generated by local cowpea farmers as a result of infestations by the legume borer (Maruca Vitrata), a harmful pest that devours cowpea leaves and seeds.

[A] new cowpea variety (Bt cowpea) was produced through the application of biotechnology, a process that involves harnessing genetic engineering in which a trans-gene from a naturally occuring bacteria in the soil (Bacillus thuringiensis) was cloned to create a pest-resistant cowpea… Following a series of experiments and satisfactory results, the Nigerian government approved the commercial production and cultivation of Bt cowpea across the country, becoming the first country in the world to adopt biotechnology in cowpea production.

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Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, [of] Friends of the Earth, Nigeria/Africa, said the introduction of GM engineered cowpea is a great cause for concern for farmers, consumers and civil society organisations across the continent.

Bassey-Orovwuje explained that while the technology is said to be provided royalty-free, the long-term implications of transforming the environment, farmers’ varieties, and production practices, will trap farmers into unsustainable, unsuitable, unaffordable farming practices.

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