VZCZCXRO3611
PP RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #2321/01 3570604
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 230604Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7834
INFO RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 2552
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002321 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT PASS TO USTR - LAURIE-ANN AGAMA 
USDA FOR FAS/OSTA - LAWRENCE BLUM 
USAID FOR EGAT/ESP - ROBERT BETRAM AND JOSETTE LEWIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR SENV ECON TBIO NI
SUBJECT:  THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY HOLDS PUBLIC HEARING ON 
AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 
 
REF ABUJA 2016 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - DO NOT DISTRIBUTE OUTSIDE USG. 
 
-------- 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Nigerian National Assembly hosted an inaugural 
biosafety legislation public hearing in Lagos. The Chairmen of the 
House Committee on Agriculture and on Science and Technology urged 
legislators to move forward with the implementation of national 
biosafety legislation.  Friends of the Earth representative spoke 
out against the use and development of agricultural biotechnology in 
Nigeria. The Nigerian Cassava Growers Association switched its 
backing to fully support biosafety legislation.  END SUMMARY. 
---------------- 
PREVENTING HARM 
--------------- 
¶2. (SBU) The Nigerian National Assembly held its first public 
hearing on the proposed biosafety legislation on December 9 in 
Lagos.  The Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture 
introduced the legislation, which seeks to establish a legal 
framework for the development and use of products derived through 
agricultural biotechnology, into the National Assembly.  A wide 
array of stakeholders, including representatives of farmers 
associations, non-government organizations, research institutes, 
academia and concerned federal government agencies attended the 
day-long hearing.  (NOTE:  The proposed legislation was developed 
through USAID financial and technical support in collaboration with 
other USG agencies.  END NOTE). 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Chairmen of the House Committees on Agriculture and 
Science and Technology organized the hearing and invited key 
stakeholders to testify in support of the legislation, including 
Federal Ministers of Agriculture, Environment, Science and 
Technology and Health.  The Ministry of Environment and Q@QN0QlzQ0EQdQGmde formal submissions in q1N^NQ Nigeria.  He spoke positively about 
his visits to the United States, China and the Philippines to 
observe how application of the technology is regulated in other 
countries.  Chairman of the House Committee on Science and 
Technology Abiodun Akinlade echoed his support for use of 
biotechnology. 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Director General of the Biotechnology Development 
Agency (NABDA) and a researcher from the Ahmedu Bello University 
(ABU) Biotech Research Center in Zaria, which is currently 
conducting field trials on genetically modified cowpea, advocated 
for the passage of the proposed legislation.  (NOTE:  The Mission, 
in partnership with NABDA, conducted a successful public outreach on 
biotechnology (see reftel), targeting legislatures, scientists, 
policy makers, and the media in September 2009.  END NOTE).  A 
representative of the non-governmental organization Friends of the 
Earth, which operates in several West African countries, spoke 
against the use and development of agricultural biotechnology in 
Nigeria. 
 
---------------- 
SWITCHING SIDES 
---------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) The head of the Nigerian Cassava Growers Association 
(NCGA), who at the beginning sided with Friends of the Earth in 
rejecting the legislation, changed her position and supported the 
Qrejecting the legislation, changed her position and supported the 
bill after hearing all the presentations.  She admitted that she was 
misinformed about agricultural biotechnology and promised to inform 
its members about the deliberations and to encourage them to support 
the legislation.  (NOTE:  The NCGA representative was not aware that 
cassava is one of two commodities currently approved by NABDA for 
biotechnology field trials in Nigeria.   END NOTE). 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) The biosafety legislation, which has been six years in the 
making, has reached an important landmark by going through a 
 
ABUJA 00002321  002 OF 002 
 
 
successful public hearing at the National Assembly.  Key National 
Assembly committee chairmen have promised to shepherd the bill 
further through the legislative process in the coming legislative 
calendar commencing early in 2010.  It is doubtful that the 
biosafety legislation would have reached this far without the USG 
support in drafting the legislation as well as sensitizing key 
stakeholders through a public outreach program. 
 
 
¶8. Embassy Abuja coordinated this cable with FAS in Consulate Lagos. 
 
 
SANDERS