Challenges and Controversies surrounding the adoption of genetically modified crops in Africa: A critical analysis

Mtoto wa Mkulima

JF-Expert Member
Apr 12, 2007
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November 8, 2007: Africa is rapidly becoming a focal point for multinational crop and chemical corporations clearing the way for the extended uptake of their products and technologies. In particular, African governments are facing enormous pressure to endorse and adopt genetically modified (GM) crops.

Organisations like the Alliance for the Green Revolution in Africa bank rolled by the Gates and Rockefeller Foundations are partly to blame through their heavy investment in infrastructure aimed at supporting the development and distribution of GM crops and seeds.

But the African Union (AU) itself is now also encouraging the adoption of GM technology. Working in tandem with its development wing, the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), the AUs High Level Panel on Modern Biotechnology is soon to release a Freedom to Innovate plan the clearest expression yet of the trend to back this controversial and risky technology.

And it does so uncritically, rather than taking a more rational precautionary position that would safeguard Africas rich biodiversity and agriculture.
The AU is also engaged in efforts to revise the carefully crafted African Model Law on Biosafety, which outlines the biosafety provisions necessary for African environmental conditions.

The revisions emanate from those seeking to make the biosafety content less stringent, placing Africa under even more pressure to conform to the needs of the gene corporations.

Support for GM technology, though, is by no means universal across the continent.

The AUs efforts in shaping the Freedom to Innovate plan and model law contrast with the leadership role that the Africa Group took in developing the Cartagena Protocol to ensure more stringent biosafety precautions.

Indeed, a number of African governments and civil society organisations are increasingly speaking out against the pressures from gene companies and the foundations that back them to adopt their technologies.

For example Angola, Sudan and Zambia have resisted pressure to accept GM food aid, while non governmental groups such as the African Biodiversity Network, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, defend community and farmers rights to reject GM seed. At one stage Burkina Faso implemented a moratorium on the planting of GM crops.

The Freedom to Innovate document does little justice to the debate raging around Africa.

Instead it seeks to institutionalise the pro-GM position of larger countries like Nigeria and South Africa for the entire continent.

There is no question that Africa needs technology to develop. But it must be appropriate to a countrys chosen path of development.


New technologies aimed at development must be evaluated in depth by, among others, scientists with no vested interests.

Natural scientists must assess GM technologys likely impacts on both the environment and human and animal health.

Social scientists must also examine the potential socio-economic consequences of such innovation such as impacts on local food security, trade or indebtedness.

Stake holders, including those who safeguard traditional knowledge, could further enrich such assessment by indicating proven alternatives.
This model of technological assessment could serve Africa very well. It could enable governments to formulate appropriate policies and development priorities.

Most importantly, if a technology is found to be questionable or negative in terms of its impacts or if there are no clear development benefits to be derived from its adoption a precautionary mechanism must exist that can delay and carefully regulate its introduction.

The Freedom to Innovate plan tries to advocate the idea that all biotechnology benefits Africa and fails to analyse the risks attached to their adoption.

While some aspects of modern biotechnology might prove useful in African agriculture, this does not mean that one aspect of this GM crops can increase continental food security and farmer prosperity.

GM technology forces Africa into high-input, chemical-dependent agriculture which impacts on biodiversity and creates debt burdens for small farmers.
In addition, the regulatory steps required for control of GM crops are so demanding of resources that, even when other budgetary areas relating to food security may need more pressing attention, Africa is forced to prioritise their set up.

Gene corporations, together with the scientists that work for them, have invested a lot of time, effort and money in developing GM crops.

Not surprisingly, they are the ones who propound the idea that transgenic crops can rescue Africa from poverty and underdevelopment.

But Africa must not let itself be bullied into accepting a technology that has yet to prove itself as appropriate for solving the continents hunger problems.

The AUs role should be one of providing governments with well-reasoned technological evaluation, rather than acting as a proxy for promoting a specific industrys commercial needs.
 
ndi maana unasikia mataifa ya magharibi na UN wanasifia GR in Africa. Naamini maendeleo ya africa yataletwa na waafrica wenye. Ukiangalia reseach instute nyingi zinafanya reseach ya Rice ili walete Green Revolution kama ya Asia lakini kwetu sisi wali si chakula. Kwanini wasifanye research kwa mazao kama mahindi, maharagwe, viazi, magimbi, mtama, uwele, etc. Ukweli ni kuwa Green revolution in Asia sasa imefikia kikomo. Inaaminika kuwa Green revolution in Asia haikuweza kupunguza umasiki bali tuu ilifanikiwa kupunguza food insecurity kitu ambacho ni kizuri. Kwasasahivi bado hatujawezakuitumia aridhi yetu ipasavu kwa kilimo. About 70% of the crop area is cultivated by hand hoe, 20 percent by ox plough and 10 percent by tractor (NBS and Planning commission Tanzania 2005) bado tunaweza kuongeza mazao kwa kuboresha kilimo chetukiwe cha kisasa zaidi kuliko kutegemea GMO. Utafiti ufanyike kwa mazao yaliyoko ambayo tayari yameshaonesha kuwa na uwezo wa kuhimili hali ya Africa.
 
Mtoto wa Mkulima:

Mimi na-support GM food. Sioni ubaya wake na test yake sio mbaya. Na wanaoimba GR wanasahau kuwa siasa za GR zilianza zaidi ya miaka 40 iliyopita na hatujafika popote. Kwanini tuendelee kufa njaa wakati kuna sayansi inayoweza kutusaidia?
 
Nashukuru kwa mada hii. Kinachonisikitisha ni hii hali ya Waafrika kutegemea sana maendeleo kupitia nchi za magharibi. Mashirika yetu kama AU, SADC, ECOWAS na nyinginezo bado hazijajenga uwezo wa kifikra na kiuchumi katika kupiga hatua kwa bara hili. Mada nyingi zinazohusu bara letu zimekuwa zikianzia nje na kisha wao kuwa ni mawakala ktk kufanikisha. Hizi tafiti zinazofanyika zaidi ni kwa ajili ya aidha kutudidimiza au kwa faida yao zaidi. Hivyo sishangai kama GR inaanzishwa Africa. Nia ni kuacha kile ambacho wakati fulani huko nyuma kwa kutumia utafiti wa hali ya hewa waliweza kuleta mbegu toka Brazil na nchi nyingine kisha mazao hayo yakameha na kufanyika mazao ya asili ya bara hii. Kwa kawaida wenzetu ni wazuri sana kwenye utafiti. Leo wanakwambia aina hiyo ya mazao ni nzuri kwa maana ya food security au for poverty reduction. Kwa issue ya poverty it is going to be difficult because of degree of acceptance of this products. Siku si nyingi wanakwambia kuwa kupitia utafiti bidhaa zile zinaonekana kuadhiri ukuaji wa mwanadamu. Hivyo soko litakosekana na kwa kuwa we can not store zile mbegu za zamani basi watatuletea mbegu zile zile na kisha kuendelea kutuyumbisha.

I think these regional organizations in Africa should search for revolution on Africans' ways of reducing poverty. I support MTOTO WA MKULIMA kuwa sehemu kubwa ya nchi yetu bado haijaguswa kabisa tangu kuumbwa kwa nchi hii na hata ile iliyoguswa haijatumika ipasavyo. Tunapaswa kutumia ardhi hii badala ya kufikiria kuwa food insecurity na poverty vinavyotawala vinatokana na uduni wa mazao tuliyonayo. Endapo tutaachana na mazao haya na kukimbilia ya labaratory believe it or not we are going to be fool than ever before. Nchi hii miaka 25 iliyopita iliwekeza kwenye kilimo zaidi kuliko sasa. Ni wakati wa Nyerere matrekta yalikuwepo mpaka ktk level ya kijiji baadhi ya maeneo na wananchi wengi walishiriki kilimo kuliko leo hii. Lakini leo hii ukiliona trekta unalishangaa limetokea wapi na wananchi wamekata tamaa ya kilimo wanalima kwa sababu hamna namna hivyo hakuna bidii ya kukwamuka kiuchumi. Tatizo la pili limekuwa ni soko, tukiivisha tunauza wapi?

Tuachane na fedha za wafadhili zenye kutuweka kwenye kongamano, walsha, seminar, utafiti ili tu kukaa na kufikiri kile ambacho wao wanakifikiria badala ya sisi tulichofikirikinachoweza kutuondoa ktk umaskini na ambacho ndo tungefanyia kazi. Hizo posho tutakula lakini nchi na bara letu linapotea na muda si mrefu tutakuwa hatuwezi kitu chochote maana kila kitu kinafanyika kwa uwezo wa magharibi then tutawaalika wakae miongoni mwetu ili wamanage programmes kwa kuwa tutakuwa tunashindwa kila kitu. Then, Nyerere keshatutoka, waliopo hawafungamani na wananchi wa kawaida isipokuwa matajiri na matumbo yao ni nani atatuunganisha kutetea uhuru wetu?
 
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