GMO Africa

Developing countries’ interest in agri-biotech research encouraging

Two weeks ago in this blog, I applauded a group of scientists from South Africa for discovering a maize (corn) variety genetically modified to resist Maize Streak Virus (MSV). Their discovery was first reported by the ScienceDaily.com.

MSV is, perhaps, the second gravest threat facing maize farmers in Africa and elsewhere after the stem borer. Scientists in the U.S. have already developed maize genetically modified to resist stem borer, and it’s already under commercial cultivation in several countries including South Africa. Known as Bt maize, it’s one of the most popular genetically modified food ever to have been developed by crop geneticists.

It’s quite a big deal that African scientists have developed transgenic maize that might be part of a solution to Africa’s food problems using modern agricultural biotechnology. This is a remarkable development because the central argument in the current debate about genetically modified (GM) crops is that they’re irrelevant to Africa. Critics argue that they have been developed by scientists, mainly from the U.S., who least understand Africa’s agricultural needs. Multinational biotech companies hoist them on Africa and other poor countries purely for profit, so the argument goes.

Personally, I am opposed to segregating scientific research, and I have written as much on this topic. In fact, a couple of weeks ago, I faulted the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), a nongovernmental organization led by the former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, for trying to play down the relevance of agricultural biotechnology to Africa’s agriculture.

Scientific research, including in the field of agricultural biotechnology, knows no boundaries. The increasing interest in agricultural biotechnology research by scientists in developing countries attests to this.

I gather that Chinese scientists have, also, genetically modified maize that could help increase nutritional value of livestock feedstock, another testimony that developing countries are keen to explore potential benefits of genetically modified crops. According to a news article on the SciDev.net web site, the corn “…produces seeds containing high levels of an enzyme called phytase…which helps livestock to digest phosphorous.” Phosphorous is an important nutritional element found in corn and soy feeds.

The next step should be for developing countries to develop the necessary infrastructure to commercialize agricultural biotechnology innovations. China is well placed to attain this goal.

Much, however, needs to be done in Africa. For Africa to develop, scientific innovations must be commercialized. African governments and the donor community must join hands to ensure this happens. This way researchers will be encouraged to word harder. There’s no doubt that scientists in developing countries are increasingly engaging in agricultural biotechnology research. They must soldier on. There’s so much potential in this field that they can’t afford to neglect it.