There is an increasing focus on science being linked to providing practical solutions to agricultural problems. There is also increasing awareness of technology, although the channels used for information and creating change in the way information is passed and understood by the receiver are poorly developed.
Biotechnology is no longer a new technology in Africa; some countries in Africa have adopted the technology, while some other countries are currently conducting confined field trial for the technology.
In Nigeria, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) which is a component of biotechnology is currently undergoing confined field trial in various locations. It is expected that in the next three years, the commercialisation of the BT cotton will commence in the country.
Africa as a continent in the recent past have suffered a high level of food insecurity following the actions and inaction of various governments to put sustainable policies to fast track agricultural development.
Some countries in Africa have also experienced food shortage due to some natural disaster which includes flood, pest attack, insect infestation and drought.
In some countries, the uses of manual and outdated method of farming have contributed immensely to the countrys dependence for food supply on some developed countries that have used technology to advance their agricultural sector.
Biotechnology have been adopted by various countries to develop their agricultural sector which have made them self sufficient in food production and earned them foreign exchange through exportation of agricultural products.
Many African countries have been skeptical of adopting biotechnology following some baseless and unscientific criticism from some quarters on the new technology.
This singular act of negligence and gullibility exhibited by these African countries have further subjected them to being importers of food products from countries that have developed there agricultural technology.
In Ghana, the commercialization of GMOs may not be possible until the court injunction issued against its further release in Ghana have been concluded.
However, good news emerged as the Plant Breeders Bill was said to be underway and soon to be signed into law in Ghana to protect the developers of the technology and encourage the investment in science and technology beyond the countrys budget.
Instead of the critics of the technology to say science is not good at all, they should discuss on its deployment which can be useful to our economy.
The Open Forum On Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Ghana have visited all the regions in Ghana and information materials on biotechnology have been translated into local languages.
It is worthy to note that the Ghanaian government does not fund science, to this end, funding is needed to scale up educational activities on modern biosafety issues in Ghana.
In Nigeria, it is sad to note that the country has one of the lowest usage rates of agriculture inputs and ranks the lowest on agriculture indices of mechanization and irrigation.
Insect and pest problems, climate change issues and increasing population were also attributed as the reasons for poor productivity.
Meanwhile, there are some Genetically Modified crops that can withstand insects and pests attack, while some are drought resistant. These crops if adopted could be used by farmers to upscale the countrys food production without the crops been damaged by pests and insects.
However, Maize, cotton, rice, cassava, Sorghum (ABS) have been said to be the first GM crops to be introduced in Nigeria for commercialisation soon.
It is also worthy of note that the Biosafety law was signed in Nigeria in 2015 which gave rise to the establishment of regulatory agency, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) same year.
Since its establishment, NBMA has carried out 3 approvals and accredited research institutes and universities for GM research.
OFAB Nigeria in its advocacy drive has carried out advocacy visits, capacity building, Seeing is Believing Tours, workshops and seminars, radio and tv programs, social media campaigns to enlighten the public and policy holders with the right information on the safety of biotechnology and its practices.
In Burkina Faso, Cotton is one of the major driver of the countrys economy, 85 per cent of population of Burkina Faso is active in agriculture and cotton is its number one cash crop contributing 25 per cent of agricultural income.
There is evidence that cotton is locomotive for cereal crops such as maize and sorghum in Burkina Faso.
In Burkina Faso, necessary steps have been taken towards the release of GM cotton- Pre-release trials, BT cotton seed multiplication, Commercial production of GM Bollgard II Cotton and cultivation field, commercial production since 2009.
BT cotton (GM Cotton) have pushed Burkina Faso in the cotton production ranking from 11th in 1990s to 1st position in Africa since 2010.
Genetically Modified Organisms is a technology which African countries cannot afford to neglect, this new technology will help African countries to upscale its food production, guarantee food security and earn foreign exchange for the countries.
The era of dependence on food importation should be over in Africa. The governments in Africa should look for possible ways of adopting biotechnology in food production, this will go along way to addressing food insecurity and guarantee self-sufficiency in food production.
Go here to read the rest:
[ June 6, 2017 ] Solving Africa's food insecurity through biotechnology Agriculture - NIGERIAN TRIBUNE (press release) (blog)
- Plant biotechnology 3 - Video - January 1st, 2014 [January 1st, 2014]
- Press Release - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- Biotech Suffers Record Exit at Largest ETF Signaling Turn - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- Biotechnology World Congress 2014 | Biotechnology ... - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- What is Biotechnology? - Access Excellence @ the National ... - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- What is Biotechnology? - BIO | Healing, Fueling and ... - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- Biotechnology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- IUBP Day5 2 Emerging Opportunities in Biotechnology - Video - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- B.Tech(Biotechnology), BATCH 2008/09, SVPUAT MEERUT.............. FRIENDS FOREVER...... - Video - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- Bharat Book Presents : Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Outlook 2014 Mature Biotech - Video - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- Bharat Book Presents : Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Outlook 2014 Japan Pharma - Video - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- Bharat Book Presents : Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Outlook 2014 India Pharma - Video - April 9th, 2014 [April 9th, 2014]
- Bharat Book Presents : Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Outlook 2014 Rising Stars - Video - April 10th, 2014 [April 10th, 2014]
- Nasdaq Rout Curbs 2000-Like Boom in Israeli Share Sales - April 15th, 2014 [April 15th, 2014]
- A Glimpse into Biotechnology - Video - April 15th, 2014 [April 15th, 2014]
- Biotechnology: gel electrophoresis, PCR - Video - April 15th, 2014 [April 15th, 2014]
- Plandai Biotechnology, Inc. Qualifies for Grant From South African Department of Trade - Video - April 16th, 2014 [April 16th, 2014]
- Biotechnology Program - University of California, Davis - April 17th, 2014 [April 17th, 2014]
- Biotechnology in Action (Arizona) - Video - April 17th, 2014 [April 17th, 2014]
- France protests new EU approved genetically modified corn ScienceDaily - Video - April 17th, 2014 [April 17th, 2014]
- Drug manufacture and Biotechnology '14 - SCOPS - final phase ( Auditing ) - Video - April 19th, 2014 [April 19th, 2014]
- Mucosis Partners With Chinese Firm Changchun BCHT Biotechnology - April 22nd, 2014 [April 22nd, 2014]
- Biotechnology-2014: Meeting the Needs of a Changing World - April 22nd, 2014 [April 22nd, 2014]
- New patenting guidelines are needed for biotechnology - April 22nd, 2014 [April 22nd, 2014]
- Biotechnology is so cool - Video - April 22nd, 2014 [April 22nd, 2014]
- Bharat Book Presents : Biotechnology Equipment Markets in China - Video - April 22nd, 2014 [April 22nd, 2014]
- New patenting guidelines needed for biotechnology, experts argue - April 24th, 2014 [April 24th, 2014]
- biotechnology videos - Video - April 24th, 2014 [April 24th, 2014]
- Kristi Snell, VP Research and Biotechnology for Metabolix, Inc. - Video - April 24th, 2014 [April 24th, 2014]
- 4th Annual International Conference: Advances in Biotechnology 2014 - Video - April 24th, 2014 [April 24th, 2014]
- Edmonds School District Biotechnology - Video - April 25th, 2014 [April 25th, 2014]
- World congress on Biotechnology - Video - April 25th, 2014 [April 25th, 2014]
- Bahir Dar university biotechnology dr tESFAYE - Video - April 25th, 2014 [April 25th, 2014]
- Algenist Skincare: Biotechnology from San Francisco - Video - April 27th, 2014 [April 27th, 2014]
- nitj biotechnology farewell batch2010-14 - Video - April 28th, 2014 [April 28th, 2014]
- Life Sciences & Biotechnology - Video - April 28th, 2014 [April 28th, 2014]
- Bolder Biotechnology Current Therapeutic Market Developmental Pipeline - Video - April 28th, 2014 [April 28th, 2014]
- Academic and Research Institutions to Play Key Role in 2014 BIO International Convention - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- 19 Biotechnology - Video - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- BIOTECHNOLOGY - Video - April 29th, 2014 [April 29th, 2014]
- Program Spotlight: Biotechnology - Video - April 30th, 2014 [April 30th, 2014]
- Biotechnology at Gaston College - Video - April 30th, 2014 [April 30th, 2014]
- Biotechnology - Gene Cloning - Video - April 30th, 2014 [April 30th, 2014]
- Amyris helps launch Brazilian Industrial Biotechnology Association (ABBI) - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- Julius Mugwagwa - Agro-biotechnology and Food Security - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- VIRUN's CEO, Philip Bromley, lecture - Cal Poly Pomona; Biotechnology - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- Biotechnology - gel electrophoresis - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- Plant Biotechnology Information Fair at Penn State 4/18/14 - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- Biotechnology ADHK - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- General Biology 2 - 38 Angiosperm Reproduction and Biotechnology - Flashcards - Video - May 2nd, 2014 [May 2nd, 2014]
- Impact of Biotechnology on Current Life - Video - May 3rd, 2014 [May 3rd, 2014]
- DGAP-Adhoc: Cytos Biotechnology Ltd to wind down Key Operational Activities - May 5th, 2014 [May 5th, 2014]
- Process - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology - Video - May 6th, 2014 [May 6th, 2014]
- SAT105 Unit 3 Part 2 Biotechnology - Video - May 6th, 2014 [May 6th, 2014]
- highlights of industrial biotechnology - Video - May 6th, 2014 [May 6th, 2014]
- polymer & environmental biotechnology @ acib - Video - May 8th, 2014 [May 8th, 2014]
- SAT105 Unit 3 Part 1 Biotechnology - Video - May 8th, 2014 [May 8th, 2014]
- Talk of the Trade: Biotechnology & Health Sciences - Video - May 9th, 2014 [May 9th, 2014]
- Congratulations to the 2014 Biotechnology Graduates of Athens Technical College! - Video - May 9th, 2014 [May 9th, 2014]
- Plandai Biotechnology (PLPL) - Getting the Most Out of Nature - Video - May 10th, 2014 [May 10th, 2014]
- Stages Of Beans Growth- HU biotechnology - Video - May 11th, 2014 [May 11th, 2014]
- Revisiting the biotechnology stocks - Video - May 11th, 2014 [May 11th, 2014]
- Molecular Biotechnology - Master's Programme - Video - May 11th, 2014 [May 11th, 2014]
- Kevin Ahern's BB 350 (Biotechnology) 2014 - #22 - Video - May 12th, 2014 [May 12th, 2014]
- 5/5, Session 1 - Small biotechnology/Venture capital - Video - May 12th, 2014 [May 12th, 2014]
- Executive Interview - International Biotechnology Trust - Video - May 12th, 2014 [May 12th, 2014]
- Biotechnology Salaries | Salary.com - May 14th, 2014 [May 14th, 2014]
- Biotechnology | University of Wrocaw - Video - May 14th, 2014 [May 14th, 2014]
- JVS Bridges to College - Biotechnology Pathway Program - Video - May 16th, 2014 [May 16th, 2014]
- Biotechnology Paperslide Review by Khalizarek+Brian - Video - May 16th, 2014 [May 16th, 2014]
- Perceptions on the Future of Biotechnology by Robert Paarlberg (USA) - Video - May 16th, 2014 [May 16th, 2014]
- Plant Biotechnology - Video - May 16th, 2014 [May 16th, 2014]
- Playing with Biotechnology at the Age of 20: Kinshuk Mitra at TEDxOhioStateUniversity - Video - May 16th, 2014 [May 16th, 2014]
- biotechnology movie - Video - May 19th, 2014 [May 19th, 2014]
- New report details biotechnology's use in crops - May 20th, 2014 [May 20th, 2014]
- Biotechnology Stock Wins - Video - May 20th, 2014 [May 20th, 2014]
- Plant product of biotechnology - Video - May 21st, 2014 [May 21st, 2014]
- How Biotechnology Cure Diabetes - Video - May 22nd, 2014 [May 22nd, 2014]
- Exploring Laser-Material Interaction for Engineering, Biotechnology, and Medicine #DigInfo - Video - May 22nd, 2014 [May 22nd, 2014]
- Computers, Biotechnology, and Mass Communication - Video - May 22nd, 2014 [May 22nd, 2014]