Here is the second article to review about GMO's in Africa. The
debate continues....
Regards,
Andrea Rother
Moderator, Pesticides-L
Dept. of Community Health
University of Cape Town
South Africa
e-mail: andrea@anat.uct.ac.za
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 21:13:05 +0300
Reply-to: Afrik-IPM Discussion List <AFRIK-IPM@LISTSERV.VT.EDU>
From: "Hans R. Herren" <herren@AFRICAONLINE.CO.KE>
Subject: Re: Why Africa Needs Biotech?
To: AFRIK-IPM@LISTSERV.VT.EDU
Anyone who wishes to get a full copy of this paper should e-mail me.
It will add another perspective to the debate on the need for GMO's
in developing countries at this time, and what needs to be done until
then...
Hans R. Herren
Potentials and threats of the Genetic Engineering Technology: Quest
for an African Strategy at the Dawn of a New Millennium
Hans R. Herren
Director General, The International Centre of Insect Physiology and
Ecology(ICIPE), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
Background
Do we need genetically engineered crops to feed the world? This
question is at the centre of several major controversies, ranging
from intellectual property rights to biodiversity conservation via
social and economic considerations. The major question really lies in
what choices are science, industry and governments proposing to the
farmers and the consumers? In Africa's special case, what solutions
to food security makes sense in this particular socio-economic and
environmental setting? The scepter of a new fiasco lies very near, as
the farmers are likely to be simply weaned from pesticides to be
force fed biotech seeds, in other words, taken off one treadmill and
set on a new one!
According to a Monsanto-initiated publicity campaign, which seeks
endorsement from African heads of state, the solutions to the elusive
developing world food security problem are to be found in genetically
engineered food crops. It claims the following: "Biotechnology is one
of tomorrow's tools in our hands today. Slowing its acceptance is a
luxury our hungry world cannot afford".
What is really meant is that these biotechnology products-- in this
case seeds from genetically modified crops-- will cater for the needs
of an increased global population. The public sector has also joined
the bandwagon, which reinforces my personal concern about the dangers
of such a limited approach to food security issues. The trend towards
a quasi-monopolization of funding in agricultural development into a
narrow set of technologies is dangerous and irresponsible. Also, too
many hopes and expectations are being entrusted in these
technologies, to the detriment of more conventional and proven
technologies and approaches that have been very successful.
It is only too obvious to concerned scientists, farmers and citizens
alike that we are about to repeat, step by step, the mistakes of the
insecticide era, even before it is behind us. I would even argue that
these new miracle technologies are mostly not necessary, let alone
desirable, to solve the world's food security problem. I am not
denying that in some instances they may be of use in increasing the
qualities of food crop varieties, but this aspect has relevance only
once abundance has been achieved. Africa needs a homegrown food
security research, capacity and institution building and
implementation strategy that is tuned to its economic and social
constraints and is in harmony with its diverse environment.
___________________________________________________________
Footnote: Definitions: 'Biotechnology' relates to the use of
tissue culture for the rapid multiplication of improved varieties,
through cell culture or the like. It also includes the use of
naturally occurring microorganisms such as Bt(Bacillus
thuringiensis), viruses, endophytes and others which may have been
selected for their activity against certain plant pests and diseases,
but which have not been genetically modified. Biotechnology may also
include vaccines against parasites or vectors of animal and human
diseases, diagnostic tests and gene marking tools for classical
breeding. 'Genetic engineering' refers to the creation of new plant
types or transgenic varieties (tgvs) through genetic manipulation of
the organism's gene pool by introducing non-species-specific genes,
often from other taxa/phyla.
>I think there is little doubt that bio-technology tools (e.g. tissue
>culture, ELISA, etc.) can be a great benefit to farmers, farm workers, and
>corporations in Africa. The tools of biotech are necessary to quickly get
>into the field. I have seen orchid tissue culture in back-yard production
>with sterilised Coke-Cola bottles in Philippines with farmers.
>
>However, I think transgenic crops are not a tool, and it is useful to
>differentiate "biotech" from "GMOs". They are a product of biotechnology
>that have yet to be well evaluated. New findings such as pollen toxicity to
>migratory lepidopteran species, the slow breakdown of B.t. in the soil from
>transgenic crops, or the outcrossing of Round-Ready crops with wild species
>show that ecological impacts have not been thoroughly studied. New studies
>are not conclusive that new GMO crops are either better yielding or result
>in the reduction of polluting inputs. Other issues such as intellectual
>property rights also need to be worked out. I think there is need for
>caution before jumping on the GMO for crop bandwagon.
>
>What is most unsettling is that those "expert organisations" that are
>promoting transgenic crops also own patents (e.g. US Dept. of Agriculture,
>most US universities, and of course corporations). Given their obvious
>conflict of interest, who can be trusted to give an un-biased and neutral
>decision?
>
>Yes to biotech. "Need more data" on GMO for crops.
>
>Kevin Gallagher ("These views are the professional opinion of K. Gallagher
>and not the official views of FAO or the UN system")
>
> ---------- Original Text ----------
>
>
> >>Nature 400, 15 - 16 (1999) 1 July 1999
> >>
> >>Why Africa needs agricultural biotech
> >>
> >>FLORENCE WAMBUGU
> >>
Hans R. Herren
Director General
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology
POBox 30772
Kasarani, off Thika Road
Nairobi, Kenya
tel. +254 2 86 16 86
fax. + 254 2 86 16 90
e-mail: herren@africaonline.co.ke or hherren@icipe.org
web page http://www.icipe.org
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