BiosafeTrain

Why genetically modified (GM) crops?

"We as Africans drink concoctions when taking alternative medicine, whose active ingredients we do not know, so who are we to shout about genetically modified (GM) crops? We should not automatically reject it but look at the options that we are getting out of it, says a fiery Simon Byabagambi. Simon is a research scientist and PhD student at Makerere University, and is one of the BiosafeTrain-supported students in Uganda. A tall, slim young man with large eyes and wide smile, he argues further:

"The introduction of genetically modified crops is a rather testy issue in East Africa at the moment, despite the fact it comes with its advantages as one of the many solutions to increasing the food security in Africa. Food security is a major concern in Africa, and there is an urgent need for tools to increase crop production on this continent. Gene technology may be one of the many tools that may be used and there is a need for capacity building within the field of risk assessment and analysis."

Simon's project

The BiosafeTrain project that supports Simon, is funded by Danida, and its main objective is to build up capacity to cope with the challenges of introducing genetically modified crops in East Africa by developing a platform for capacity building on biosafety impact assessment of transgenic plants. Simon is working on a project entitled "Cotton-pest-natural enemy interaction in Uganda - a basis for biosafety risk assessment".

Simon , a civil servant , who is currently on study leave, is working towards a PhD on Crop Science at Makerere University. He attended the BiosafeTrain workshop held in Nairobi in September 2006. This course was the first one in the series BiosafeTrain intends to hold in the region, and dealt with the basics of ecological, biotechnological, and practical aspects in the cultivation and handling of GM crops, risk assessment and evaluation, and the broader societal aspects.

GM crop uncertainties

He is quick to support the use of transgenic crops. "Unfortunately, at the moment when genetically modified (GM) crops are mentioned, people already assume there may be problems that may affect the ecosystem in the cotton cropping system, so there are uncertainties amongst farmers and policy makers, but that does not mean we should automatically dismiss GM crops!"

Pests and predators in cotton

He is being trained so that he can later train farmers and policy makers as they do not have sufficient knowledge on what they could base their arguments for or against the use of genetically modified crops. "My study involves getting down to the farmers' field, trying to establish what natural pests affect cotton and what cotton varieties Ugandan farmers use." "On establishing the above I will try to identify which are the target pests and which are the non-target pests. Then I will try to identify the pests down to the species level. The information I will get from the survey will come out with the pests ranked high and the target pests been ranked low, which will set me to my second part of field study which will be field and laboratory experiments."

In these experiments he intends to do a systematic study of at least one hectare of land, where he'll put three different varieties of cotton, some as monocrops, others intercropped with beans, others treated with chemicals; the controls will not be treated . Subsequent laboratory tests will try and identify the major predators that will have been ranked high in the farm studies. "I aim to monitor these predators, how they interact with pests and different cropping systems and do background laboratory experiments feeding the pests with artificial media, prepared to contain GM-plants".

"The results will hopefully show what is the relationship between the predator, pest and the crop ( cotton). So in the event GM cotton is introduced, we have data to compare with conventional crops and the effects that may happen therein."- spells out the rationale of this study. "In summary I am offering a baseline information to be used as an entry point for biosafety risk assessment."

Biosafety risk assessment

"In summary I am offering a baseline information to be used as an entry point for biosafety risk assessment."

Simon found the BiosafeTrain course in Nairobi essential, he learnt the basic concepts of genetic modified crops. "Now I can put my fears in perspective and can argue my case confidently with respect to genetically modified crops and biosafety risk assessment issues."

"The course gave me a good insight on how to look at my data, analyse it and make good critique of what I have studied based on my findings, therefore make better recommendations for biosafety risk assessments," he says and adds "It has made me a highly resourceful person in biosafety issues."

The future of GM crops in Uganda

The future of genetically modified crops in Uganda is still considered a tetchy subject. "The pressure or rather the burden is on us as scientists. Sooner or later the transgenic crops will come and when they do we have to be prepared." He adds "Biotechnology is not the only solution to the problem but it's part of the equation that will lead to the solution.

The main objectives of genetically modified crops is to increase crop yield and reduce pest infestation. Other aspects are less clear. For example, what impact does it have on soil fertility?" At the moment, these are the unanswered questions for which we are trying to build information," he says.

People should not look at genetically modified crops in isolation to other solution packages, but should look at in an integrated management system.

Simon is married and has three children, two boys and one girl. He believes genetically modified crops will be beneficial to them in the future and he doesn't mind eating them, " That is if I haven't eaten it already!" he quips.

By Joy Owango, November 2006.