Nigeria, June 10 -- A coalition of environmental, agricultural, and civil society organisations has urged the Nigerian government to put on hold new approvals of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the country.

It is also asking the government to conduct an independent review of existing approvals, citing concerns over biosafety, public health, biodiversity, and farmers' rights.

The group made the call in a communique issued at the end of the National Conference on Biosafety and Agroecology held on Monday in Abuja.

The conference, attended by the representatives of federal ministries, regulators, farmers, researchers, civil society organisations, and legal practitioners, among others, reviewed the increasing approval and commercia...