Could genetically modified organisms (GMOs) help feed a growing world population? Walter Alhassan of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa describes their potential and limitations in a continent struggling to feed itself.
What can GM crops achieve for food security in Africa?
GMOs as stand-alone technologies cannot achieve food security in Africa. But GMOs are very helpful for particular challenges like pests, bad soil, or droughts. They can also enhance the nutritional content of crops. The most prominent example here is Golden Rice that contains more beta-carotene, which helps to prevent vitamin A deficiency. In Kenya, there is a similar project enhancing the nutritional value of Sorghum.
But genetical engineering alone isn’t enough. A maize variety that has been genetically modified to be resistant against a certain pest won’t deliver higher yields if you do not have conventional methods that also help you improve the maize.
So what conventional biotechnologies will influence future agriculture?
Once you mention biotechnology, people talk about GMOs. But biotechnology is far more. Tissue culture, for instance, is not genetic engineering. You simply take a cell and nourish it with nutrients and hormones to get a whole new plant from which you can grow millions of clones. This is really important for crops not produced from seeds, like bananas or yams.
Another biotechnology is using gene markers to identify a specific trait in a plant, allowing the plant breeder to select traits without having to grow plants for several generations. Biotechnology also allows very accurate diagnosis of plant and animal diseases.
Pest and disease resistant GM crops are in use in Africa. When will we see nutrient-rich or drought-resistant GM crops?
Crops with higher nutrient content are around the corner. There are already tests in Ghana with sweet potato that contain enhanced protein levels. In two or three years time we should see a product.
It’s a bit different for the drought issue. There is a project in South Africa called the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA). The researchers estimate that they might have a product around 2017.
If we are able to get drought-resistant varieties in place this would really be very important. Farmers would instantly adopt crops that are more resistant to droughts.
How much less water would these crops need?
Well, you cannot grow crops without water. And we are seeing more impacts of climate change. Farmers plant their crops and at crucial stages there is a break in rainfall and the plants die. The water-efficient maize could simply stay in the ground longer and survive until the next rain comes. But if the rain stays away completely these crops will die as well.
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