The political double standards on biotech in agric

Politicians in Africa have been urged to stop playing double standards when it comes to the adoption of biotechnology in food production on the continent.

A lecturer at the Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Dr Dorothy M. Masinde, who bluntly made the call said the food situation on the continent presently is not the best and considering the growth in population, there is the need for politicians, particularly those holding power, to help propagate the impact of biotechnology on food production to ensure its fullest acceptance by the public.

Speaking in an interview shortly after a news conference organised for selected agricultural journalists across the globe in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, on the side-lines of the just ended World Food Prize and the Centennial Borlaug Dialogue series, she said “it has become the practice of politicians in government to shift the goalpost from supporting biotech in food production when they are faced with opposition because they fear they might lose elections”.

According to her, it is time for them to stand boldly in favour of biotech in agriculture, irrespective of where they find themselves, to help ensure food security on the continent just as elsewhere in the world and help reduce the pervasive hunger that has plagued the people of Africa.

Her call confirms the hypocrisy of many politicians who are often ready to compromise what is good for the people they govern in their quest to win the hearts and minds of the many ignorant people on the continent.

Presently, the acceptance of biotech in food production has remained a political game in Africa because of the massive campaign waged by some activists against the use of new technology to enhance production, prevent land degradation as well as improve yields of small holder farmers who continuously bear the brunt of orthodox methods of food production.

In Ghana for instance, almost all the politicians in government, particularly the agricultural ministers and their deputies accede to the value of biotech in food production.

However, due to some pressures from activists against that mode of food production, they are unable to voice out their stance openly for obvious reasons.

They are also not able to take their message directly to the farmers as suggested by Norman Borlaug in his wise message to the world before his demise.

No time to waste

It has been estimated that the world’s population will hit nine billion by the year 2050.

Of the figure, more than 40 per cent of the growth in population is expected to come from Africa, a continent which is already faced with massive food insecurity and, therefore, it is expected that the time to adopt biotechnology to improve yields to meet the growing demand for food cannot be further postponed.

According to an article headlined; Can Africa’s fertile farmlands feed the planet? and published in a magazine titled “The Future of Food”, a compilation by editors of National Geographic; decades ago, the green revolution increased crop yields in India and other developing countries using fertilizer, irrigation and improved seeds but this did not take root in Africa where yields have barely risen since the 1960s.

It said “less than five per cent of arable land in sub-saharan Africa for instance is irrigated and noted that as the continent rapidly urbanises, an already stressed food system will lose farmers and add a staggering number of consumers”.

However, it noted that with modern farming techniques and progammes to help farmers afford them, this potential breadbasket (Africa) could not only free itself but also export the surplus.

This is very critical in the sense that, already, most of the countries on the continent have issues with balance of payments because they tend to import more than they export.

The story of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

Sub-Saharan Africa is said to have the lowest regional scores in the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) for a number of reasons.

Food security, particularly food affordability, in many countries of the region is undermined by low average incomes, widespread poverty and a heavy reliance on costly food inputs.

At the same time, the SSA has experienced the highest economic growth rates over the last five years yet remains the poorest region in the world.

According to the World Bank, 18 countries (almost 65 per cent of the SSA countries included in the GFSI) are classified as low-income countries with an estimated 50 per cent of the population living on less than a dollar and a quarter a day.

According to The Economist Intelligence Report most farming in SSA is highly fragmented and makes little use of modern farming and productivity enhancing techniques (mechanisation rates, fertiliser use and irrigation cover are all low) which undermines agricultural output and makes the region a net food importer.

Suffice to say that the region has also seen a strengthening of its food security position over the past year with 20 (71 per cent) of the countries in the region recording overall improvements in score, compared to the eight countries recording a decline.

It is refreshing to note from the report that the improvement in food quality and safety in the region is attributable to continued donor support and a strengthening of public institutions, which has facilitated a greater focus on raising nutritional standards and on food safety.

However, “Given its status as the poorest region of the world with one of the fastest growing populations, SSA receives the lowest regional score for GDP per capita”.

It said in addition to food affordability issues, the underdeveloped nature of the farming sector and agricultural markets in most of SSA means that diets remain largely imbalanced and heavily dependent on cereals, roots and tubers.

Successes

In countries such as South Africa and Botswana, overall food security is high according to the GFSI basically because of the adoption of modern technology in food production. Uganda has improved while Cote d’Ivoire also scores high when it comes to food affordability.

In places such as Togo and Burundi, there have been drastic improvements recorded due to the presence of increased food safety nets.

Challenges

The lack of adequate safety nets and high poverty remains a major challenge in many other countries. This is coupled with weakened government effectiveness and public institutions which have seen deterioration in nutritional standards, disinvestments in agricultural infrastructure and low household income have all contributed to the overall food security decline per the GFSI.

Way Forward

According to the book, Food Security in a World of Natural Resource Scarcity – The role of agricultural technologies, authored by 10 renowned food scientists across the globe; the most common policy measures aimed at promoting technology adoption directly are a) investments in agricultural research and development and extensions services b) provision of incentives to private developers of technology when the appropriation of rewards is more difficulty, or to early adopters, or as a second-best policy when other issues that constrain adoption cannot be overcome in the short and medium term and c) expansion of sustainable financial arrangements to farmers for investing in technologies.

For Africa to be the next breadbasket, these bold initiatives cannot be glossed over by the politicians because they are facts.

Africa is suffering and its people are being denied what is due them because of unnecessary politics.

With the issues at stake regarding food security on the continent, it will serve the continent right if the politicians take the right decisions by taking the new technologies to the farmers and supporting them through deliberate policies.

Enough of the hypocrisy. The time to act is now to save the continent. Africa needs food to feed the millions of people without food on a daily basis. Africa also needs to be able to balance its budgets and tilt the trade balance in its favour. And for that to happen, politicians must lead the way by ensuring that we all embrace biotech in agriculture to ensure food security. GB