The vigorous debates in favour of and against biotechnology have by and large polarized African countries.

African countries, in particular those in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) regions, are at crossroads as to whether or not to permit introduction of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). The rapid development and diffusion of biotechnology, in particular, genetic engineering, is happening at a time when the African continent is faced with daunting challenges including declining agricultural productivity and increasing poverty, leading to greater food insecurity and malnutrition. It has been asserted that several maize and cotton GMOs currently available have the potential to increase productivity by lowering crop protection costs hence greater farm level incomes and less chemical use in the environment. Conversely, concerns have been raised about the potential risks to the environment and human health from GMOs. There is paucity of information on the specific potential costs or benefits to countries in the COMESA and ASARECA countries from adopting GMOs for agriculture versus opting to remain GM-free.

The vigorous debates in favour of and against biotechnology have by and large polarized African countries with their attitudes towards adoption of biotechnology ranging from cautious interest to downright rejection, depending on the country.

Kipruto Arap Kirwa, Kenya's Minister for Agriculture notes that attempts to introduce and implement agricultural biotechnologies have received varied reactions in third world countries but concerned authorities and stakeholders should weigh both potential benefits and risks by putting in place frameworks that address controversial concerns raised regarding the adoption of GMOs.

"It's important that countries that decide to use GM crops develop clear biotechnology and biosafety policies and build adequate regulatory frameworks that address these issues to enable efficient and informed decision making," Kirwa says.

It is feared that risks to potential or real commercial exports associated with planting of GMOs could be enormous.

Though multi-faceted, biotechnology has been viewed as a single discipline. Weak scientific and technical capacity has been indicated as a major hindrance, compounded by the absence of operational and functional policies and regulatory regimes for GMOs in most of the countries. In recent years, the implications of biotechnology for trade have also emerged as a major concern. It is feared that risks to potential or real commercial exports associated with planting of GMOs could be enormous. Concerns are growing that agricultural commodities exported from countries growing GMOs to destinations sensitive to GMOs such as the European Union may encounter market access barriers. On the other hand, the costs of remaining GM-free and failing to harness the potential benefits of the technology may be very high for the COMESA and ASARECA countries. There is a likelihood of losing out on income gains at the farm level from increased agricultural productivity, and perhaps not enjoying adequate access to emergency food aid from organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP).

"Nevertheless," notes Dr. Isaac Minde, "improving livelihoods and increasing agricultural productivity of those who now periodically become food aid recipients is paramount."

"Famine is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Constraints such as drought, lack of resources to purchase production inputs and lack of diversified food products are contributing to the region's downward growth of agricultural production. Focus should be turned to biotechnology in both livestock husbandry and plant agriculture, as this has potential to increase crop yields, address challenges associated with environmental degradation, help detect and control animal diseases as well as promote the development of innovative food products," notes Kirwa.

COMESA, the largest economic trading block in Africa comprising 20 member countries, is confronted with a formidable challenge of reconciling trade and biotechnology/biosafety developments. Regardless of individual nations' positions, when some countries go forward with commercializing GMOs and others do not, the region will become a patchwork of varied laws and regulations on GMOs. Even countries approving GMOs may have differing regulations and actual approved GM varieties may differ. Trade problems may then arise when countries have different regulations regarding the testing and approval procedures necessary to place GMOs and their products on the market or when they disagree about labeling and identification requirements. These conditions will pose critical challenges for the COMESA and ASARECA countries in terms of trade in specific commodities within the region, in addition to outside the continent.

Taking cognizance of the current and anticipated challenges, efforts directed towards establishing a common policy on biotechnology and biosafety in the COMESA and ASARECA region have been set in motion. Mr. Erastus Mwencha, COMESA Secretary General, notes that his Secretariat "has designed comprehensive agricultural sector strategic frameworks aimed at promoting the development of agriculture in the region."

ASARECA's Eastern and Central Africa Programme for Agricultural Policy Analysis (ECAPAPA), the Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS) and the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) are technically supporting COMESA, in the implementation of the project: Towards a Regional Approach to Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy in Eastern and Southern Africa (the RABESA initiative). The project idea originated from the COMESA community in 1997 based on concerns that the proliferation of GMOs may impact on trade and food security in unknown ways and that COMESA was not prepared to guide the region through the anticipated eventualities. COMESA approached ASARECA in 2003, seeking technical guidance and policy advice on how to address biotechnology/biosafety issues at a regional level. The implementation of the RABESA initiative was endorsed at the COMESA/ECA Maize Trade Policy Conference in Nairobi in September 2003.

Another aspect of the project has been to estimate the possible commercial export risks associated with approving the planting of GMO crops in the ASARECA and COMESA region and the impact of restrictive GMO policies on access to emergency food aid in the ASARECA and COMESA region.

The project has been generating and analyzing technical information needed to inform COMESA and ASARECA on regional biotechnology and biosafety policy choices. It has had as its main objective undertaking stakeholder analysis in the ASARECA and COMESA countries to highlight opportunities and challenges related to their engagements in biotechnology and biosafety; and estimating the impacts of GMO crops on farm income in the ASARECA and COMESA region. Another aspect of the project has been to estimate the possible commercial export risks associated with approving the planting of GMO crops in the ASARECA and COMESA region and the impact of restrictive GMO policies on access to emergency food aid in the ASARECA and COMESA region. The project also seeks to determine the impact of precautionary GMO policies on agricultural research in the ASARECA and COMESA region and review a range of regional policy options and common position towards GMO crops for the COMESA region.

For purposes of collection and analysis of technical data, six pilot case study countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Egypt and Zambia were chosen for they represent the broadest spectrum of development and attitudes towards GMOs in the region. In each country, a national resource person has been recruited to facilitate data collection and mobilize stakeholders to participate in national policy dialogues.




Contributed by Harrison Maganga at the African Centre for Technology Studies. Reprinted with permission from The African Executive.

To read another Global Envision article about resource management in Africa, see Poverty in Africa Linked to Water Management.



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