Impact of Environmental Pollution from Industrial Agriculture on the Quality of Human Life in Nigeria: Concern for GMOs and Agri-Business

Food is life, and it can become an instrument of control in national and international power polity. It is not enough to aspire to be sufficient in food production; however the system of production that ensures the production of healthy and safe food in a safe environment is equally crucial for the quality of human life. The pertinent concern of this study is to investigate the possible implications of the present quest to introduce the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the agricultural sector in an effort to ensure food security vis-Ã -vis the quality of life of the citizenry and the impact on the environment of Nigeria. The study adopted the Diffusion Theory of Rural Development, employed Vector Autoregressive (VAR) Model Approach using annual time series data spanning from 1981-2017. The plausibility of the results lies with the positive relationship between food supply and life expectancy. The study found that the environmental effect of industrial food production which is usually associated with gaseous emissions was not significant. This shows that with any improvement in food security, Co2 emissions are reduced. This reduction in Co2 emission by these industries further has chain reactions as it improves food security. The results also shows that there is a negative relationship but with significant impact of industrial emission into the environment on life expectancy of Nigerians. The study therefore recommends that there is need to revitalize public sector agricultural research, Small farmer-oriented, low-input agro-ecology and reform trade-related rules.