Biotechnology can increase production

It is still a mystery why it has taken so long for agriculture in Uganda to have a clear regulatory and technology adoption environment given the overwhelming evidence that planting improved seeds results in higher crop yields.

For years farmers have been growing grafted mangoes, hybrid maize, grafted avocados, cloned coffee, using tissue culture plantlets and lots of other improved seed varieties. Ugandan agricultural research scientists under National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) have made quite successful attempts with the use of modern biotechnology to address major crop diseases and nutrition challenges.  They have found solutions to many of the destructive diseases and challenges that are slowing down the production of crops such as banana, cassava, maize, rice, soybean, cotton, and potato but the improved crop varieties are still locked up in research stations and inaccessible to farmers because the country does not have a regulatory and technology arrangement for the farmers to grow such crops. They continue to struggle with the unimproved crop varieties that are prone to diseases and of low nutritional value.

One wonders why the country is investing heavily in modern biotechnology/GMO research, by getting the scientists trained, setting up modern laboratories, and funding the research activities.

For close to 20 years now Uganda has been involved in modern biotechnology/GMO research with a view to overcome challenging agricultural production constraints. Adoption of modern biotechnology has transformed agriculture in many countries across the world. According to an international agreement known as the Catagena Protocol all countries using GMO technology must have a law to regulate its safe and responsible usage.

Uganda has scored some very good successes in GMO research but up to now the country has no biotechnology and biosafety BIOB law in place and therefore its farmers cannot take advantage of the research successes to overcome challenging agricultural production constraints.

Modern biotechnology seems to be the way to go for most countries experiencing agricultural production difficulties, particularly now under climate change conditions. Many countries in Africa have on-going GMO research trials of their food and cash crops found to be slowly disappearing due to pests and other constraints. The endangered crops include: banana, cassava, cotton, cowpea, maize, potato, rice, sorghum, and soybean. Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Kingdom of eSwatini, and South Africa have approved and adopted production of modern biotechnology GMO crops to boost agricultural production.

Mr Michael Ssali is a veteran journalist,

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