West African Countries Endorse Agricultural Biotechnology
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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has resolved to
exploit agricultural biotechnology to boost food production. ECOWAS,
which brings together 15 African countries, wants its members to enact
laws that will strengthen public-private partnership in biotechnology
investments.
Members are also expected to hasten the formulation of biosafety laws,
to regulate the handling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
within their territories. ECOWAS will set up a fund to assess socio-
economic impacts of GMOs.
The regional body will also establish a network of agricultural
biotechnology experts, an initiative expected to culminate into
Centers of Excellence.
ECOWAS must be commended for pronouncing its stand on agricultural
biotechnology. This ought to have happened long time ago. No country
or regional trading block like ECOWAS can afford to maintain ambiguity
on the issue of modern agricultural biotechnology. Doing so smacks of
recklessness and irresponsibility. Ordinary farmers look upon such
trading blocks or their national governments for guidance on emerging
agricultural technologies.
There's no doubt that agricultural biotechnology has come of age. One
only needs to look at the increasing interest in farmers in North
America, Asia, Latin America, Europe, South America, and Africa to
grow genetically engineered crops in place of conventional varieties.
This is largely being driven by the realization that planting GM crops
make more economic sense. GM crops have been found to yield high, are
drought, herbicide and pesticide resistant, thus saving farmers
considerable input-related expenses.
The latest report by the International Service for the Acquisition of
Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), a non-governmental organization
that delivers the benefits of agricultural biotechnology to farmers in
developing countries, in fact indicates that more countries have edged
towards genetically modified crops.
By endorsing agricultural biotechnology, ECOWAS is not wading into
uncharted waters. Documented evidence exists on benefits of
genetically modified crops. ECOWAS could use such evidence to steer
its members towards agricultural biotechnology.