The food situation in Africa is grave, to put it mildly. A continent, which will have upwards of 1.3 billion people, will generate maximum demand for food grains, and other food materials. The pertinent point is whether the continent is prepared to address the severe food shortage staring at it.
Some of the statistics are revealing. Africa accounts for 60% of the world’s untilled land. Yet, its contribution to agricultural output is just 4%. There are many reasons that can be adduced to the shortages, such as low productivity, climatic change, drought, poor seed quality and what have you.
Many scientists say that the solution that lies ahead of Africa is the introduction of genetically modified (GM) seeds using genetic engineering. The point is whether Africa is prepared for that biotech breakthrough? The number of countries that are using genetically modified seeds are South Africa, Sudan and Burkina Faso. In most of the countries, they are at trail stage and may take some years to formally introduce them since the sanctioning processes are quite time consuming.
Africa’s GM market was estimated to be valued at around US$615.4m in 2018, and is forecast to grow around 5% to reach an estimated US$871m by 2025. Having regard to the fact that countries like Kenya, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Mozambique and Nigeria, are on the trail of various strains of GM seeds as the first step in a long approval process, it is doubtful whether the target could be achieved in time. The other challenge is that merely by adding a few more tons of various food crops, the poverty in Africa cannot be wished away. It needs augmentation by substantial quantum. Going by the present trend, that could be a pipedream.
Kenya seems to have a head-start in the cultivation of GM crops. It is conducting trails on and sorghum, maize and cotton using GM seeds as pilots. Sorghum, for instance, is being fortified with Vitamin-E designed to tackle blindness in malnourished.
Nigeria is the first country in the world to approve a variety of genetically modified (GM) cowpea seeds this year. After considerable trials and long winding tests and debates Nigeria released four genetically altered cow pea varieties in February this year. The initial results indicate that it has led to marked improvement in productivity.
Why the acceptance of GM is slow? It is mainly due to potential health risks. But scientists say most of these apprehensions are borne out of rumors, fears and myths about the misconceived health risks. While the scientists are calling for spreading greater awareness about the attributes of GM, at the policy level, it is becoming increasingly difficult.
Importantly, there are many big names known for GM seeds in the fray in Africa. They are Monsanto, Bayer etc. Organizations like the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID are also working to promote GM seeds. These organizations are giving farmers free GM seeds farmers for free. But how soon there will be a change of mind toward GM is still not clear. But scientists and policy makers are still hopeful of a biotech breakthrough in Africa, sooner or later.
