By Kome Odhomor
The International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated on the 22nd of May yearly. is celebrated on the 22nd of May yearly. It aims at raising awareness, promoting issues around biodiversity, and the significant reduction in biological diversity due to human activities.
Despite the ritual, humans’ insatiable drive for resources has exposed the nature of human relationships with their surroundings and natural beings around them as a tool for exploitation. The theme for the year is “Be Part of the Plan,” it directly charges us as humans to live with due deference to nature.
Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) notes the importance of biodiversity and urges all to move beyond promises and take concrete actions to halt biodiversity loss.
The Executive Director of HOMEF, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, stressed the need to preserve our biodiversity and reconnect with nature. “We are the losers when we continually cheat on nature through extractive activities and intentional destruction of biodiversity. We must all consider ourselves as part of the plan to build a livable future where all beings coexist harmoniously.”
Bassey further states, “The continuous genetic alteration of our crops and livestock and pollution of our environment has direct implications for biodiversity and our quality of life. These continuously destroy what we once called the good life.
Director of Programmes at Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Joyce Brown, states, “Biodiversity contributes to human well-being directly through the provision of foods, fuels, and fibers, and indirectly through its role in enhancing the ecosystem functions.”
“Pollution from oil and gas exploration and extraction, climate change, invasive species, over harvesting of resources, and plastic pollution pose severe threats to Nigeria’s biological diversity. These are further compounded by Nigeria’s move to adopt modern agricultural biotechnology as a solution to food insecurity. The adoption of GMOs, as well as chemical fertilizers/pesticides, comes at a great cost to biodiversity and the environment. GMOs thrive in monocultures and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides destroy non target but beneficial organisms including soil microorganisms, bees and other insects that are essential for maintaining the cycles of life.
Biodiversity loss will continue to accelerate if we keep on the trajectory of genetic manipulations of our food and dependence on chemical fertiliers and pesticides. Further destruction of ecosystems and habitats will threaten our ability to sustain human populations.”
Brown highlighted solutions to biodiversity erosion to include improving waste management systems, and better management of protected areas, including national parks, wildlife reserves, and forest reserves, through improved governance, law enforcement, and community involvement.
“The government should encourage adopting agroecological farming practices that promote biodiversity conservation, soil health, and sustainable agriculture. Also, the Government should develop and implement strategies for the prevention, control, and eradication of invasive species that threaten native biodiversity in Nigeria. It is important to enhance monitoring and early detection systems to prevent the establishment and spread of invasive species, particularly in sensitive ecosystems,’ Brown added.
With the theme “Be Part of the Plan” it is time for humans to be active in environmental monitoring and reporting, exposing infringements to safeguard the environment, health, and overall well-being.
The precautionary principle should be the bedrock of biosafety regulation. To address the climate and food crises, we must address their root causes. As a way forward, we must adopt solutions that work with nature instead of against it and promote systems that support the livelihoods of millions of people depending on them.
Kome Odhomor is the Media/Communication Lead at HOMEF and Communications Officer at Oilwatch Africa.
