Africa Should Adopt Genetically Modified Crops—Scientists Advocate
As diseases and pests destroy up to 40% of crops in Africa and the continent spends several billions of dollars to import food to feed its growing population, agriculture scientists on the continent say Africa has no option but to adopt Genetically Modified (GM) crops to overcome the challenge.
They are optimistic that the adoption of GM crops is the best solution to increase yield and fight crop diseases that are creating a major challenge to agriculture on the continent.
On a recent visit to Kampala, Uganda as part of a four-day field trip organized by the Biosciences for Farming in Africa (B4FA), Ugandan scientists appealed to African countries to vigorously go for biotechnology tools and GM crops to reduce hunger and poverty on the continent.
Uganda has the regulatory framework on Biosafety but yet to table the policy before its parliament, for the passage of the law, yet it is currently applying four GM crops, namely Banana, Cassava, Maize and Sweet Potato at the Confined Field Trials (CFT).
Ghana on the other hand has passed the Biosafety law in 2011 paving the way for the trials of GM crops, such as rice, Bt cowpea, High protein sweet potato and Bt cotton, at the CFT level, but yet to go commercial.
Speaking in separate interviews with The Enquirer, Dr. Geoffrey Arinaitwe, Consultant, Biotechnology Unit of the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) of Uganda, said Biosafety laws must be implemented fast and quick.
'We need the law, I'm not just pushing for the law but pushing for good foods and the law can make it good.'
He said Uganda has the regulatory framework for biotechnology, but noted that without the legislative instrument to back it, there will not be any advancement in its agricultural agenda.
On his part, Dr. Titus Alicai a plant virologist of NARO added that for Africa to reduce hunger and poverty it is incumbent on it to adopt GM, stating that 'I can say without fear of contradiction that it is safe.'
He said however that the safety aspects of ensuring that GM products have no toxins and allergies, and no effects on the environment must be guaranteed.
'We are asking for a bio-safety law so that whatever we come up with, it would be of benefit for the farmer without the law the products would remain in our labs,' he said.
Responding to health fears expressed by concerned organizations, Dr. Alicai said perceptions that GM crops are not safe for human consumption are unfounded.
He stated that there are no evidence to back that assertion, asserting 'It's just people's beliefs; it has nothing to do with the technology or the sciences.'
'For those of us who support the technology we do it on case by case basis, it is not blanket, depending on individual needs, we implement it by bringing benefits and values to the communities,' Dr. Alicai stated.
'Some communities that are strongly opposed to these technologies don't have the problems we have, they are food secure, they have credit cards, they have monies in their pockets, they walk into supermarkets and pick whatever they want, they buy the food but have never seen the crop,' he contested.
Dr. Alicai therefore called on African countries to take opportunity of the Biotechnology tools including GM Organisms to fast track its agriculture development.