Africa shouldn’t take GM crops lightly, but neither can it ignore their potential
Boosting food production is vital for Africa’s long-term prosperity – that means all viable options should be properly considered
Jane Karuku
President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
17 September 2013
In the unlikely event that I had forgotten just how controversial and polarising genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are, the past few days would have provided a very sharp reminder. Last week, our organisation, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (Agra), released a 204-page report (pdf) into the state of Africa’s agriculture. It covered, in detail, the wide range of obstacles and challenges facing African countries as they seek to transform their agricultural productivity, as well as considering what opportunities there are to deliver this ambition.
Perhaps inevitably, however, our mention of GMOs dominated coverage of the report. We saw headlines such as “Agra helping agribusiness conquer African agriculture”, and accusations that our organisation was promoting “genetically modified colonialism”.
With hindsight, we should not have been surprised by this reaction. After all, our report noted how the controversial and complex nature of GMOs can make it incredibly difficult to hold a reasoned debate. It is why companies, organisations and scientists tend, when they can, to steer clear of voicing their opinions on the subject. All fear their position will be exaggerated.
I also have to acknowledge that the words used by the author of that specific chapter were open to misrepresentation, a mistake we must accept. What they don’t do, however, is herald any change in Agra’s long-established position on GMOs – a position which, I believe, reflects the cautious and balanced approach needed when considering any new technology.
Read the full article on the Guardian website
