Scientists who have been developing disease-resistant and drought-tolerant maize varieties at the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) at Namulonge have halted their research, denting farmers’ hopes to plant the higher yielding seeds.

Dr. Godfrey Asea, principal investigator for the Bt maize research and director of NaCRRI, said they discontinued the research after they concluded confined field trials (CFTs) but couldn’t progress work to the National Performance Trials or NPTs.

“We have completed confined field trials for Bt maize, but we cannot apply for environmental release [of the varieties] because we don’t have a law to guide usage of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Uganda,” said Dr. Asea in an interview with New Vision.

The scientists also destroyed the seed varieties because they could not keep them for “longer than a year” after completion of CFTs because NaCRRI does not have gazetted long-term storage facilities for GMOs, including fridges and cold rooms.

However, it is also true they demolished the materials because the National Council for Science and Technology requires them to “destroy the seeds” after completion of research.

“It is a real shame (the scientists) have had to stop their research and destroy their materials,” said Erostus Nsubuga, chief executive officer and chairperson of a private Agro-genetic Technologies in Kampala that specializes in tissue culture and moves research work from labs to farmers by multiplying seeds. “They were doing great work.”

Results from the CFTs indicated the Bt maize varieties were drought-tolerant and resistant to fall armyworm and stem borer insects, meaning farmers could harvest higher yields and not have to spend lots of money on pesticides if adopted.

Related research (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16779644/) also shows planting of Bt maize could greatly reduce aflatoxins, which are very toxic substances.

However, halting of the research is particularly frustrating for scientists who have devoted almost their entire careers to developing these varieties but now have to stop.

Dr. Geoffrey Arinaitwe, an agronomist and part of the team who started lab work to develop a GM banana in Uganda described (https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2018/09/ugandan-researchers-share-frustration-nation-debates-gmo-bill/) how it’s so frustrating to “develop a product and know it works” but be unable take it to the farmers because of legislative inaction.

“It is frustrating. Very frustrating,” he said. “I am now old, almost retiring. Soon, I won’t be able to continue this kind of work. But what do I have to show for all the time I have put in? All the nights I have spent in a lab? Nothing.”

“If people knew how painful it is to stay in a lab for the entire time until you are able to create banana from a cell, they would be more understanding of our disillusionment,” he said.

Nsubuga said Uganda wasn’t really progressing after “investing lots of time in these technologies” because the country’s leadership couldn’t decide whether or not to go with GMOs.

The Ugandan Parliament passed a biotechnology and biosafety bill to guide usage of GMOs, first in 2017 and second in 2018. But President Yoweri Museveni returned the bill to the house on both occasions.

“We addressed the issues that the president wanted addressed (in the amended 2018 bill),” said Ronnie David Mutebi, formerly vice chairperson to a parliamentary committee of Science, Technology and Innovation.

“We even changed the bill’s title from the biotechnology and biosafety bill to the Genetic Engineering Regulatory Bill to accommodate genetic engineering, but the president didn’t sign it.”

Mutebi didn’t understand why.

“Genetic engineering and biotechnology have all these benefits,” said Mutebi, “You are talking farmers harvesting more on the same piece of land which means they will not encroach on virgin land. Reduced pesticides are also good for the environment.”

And, of course, you are also talking agronomists shortening the time they need to develop desired varieties because these technologies are more precise compared with conventional breeding.

Scientists in Uganda have been developing drought-tolerant and insect-resistant Bt varieties for close to two decades.

Dr. Asea and others started lab work for the water efficient maize for Africa (WEMA) in 2008, to help farmers manage the risk of drought by developing maize varieties that yield up to 35 percent more grain under moderate drought conditions than currently available varieties.

Thereafter, the scientists proceeded to develop insect-resistant maize varieties or TELA.

Apart from Bt maize, scientists in Uganda have developed other GM varieties, including cassava resistant to brown streak and mosaic disease, potato resistant to late blight disease and a bio-fortified banana rich in vitamin A and resistant to bacterial wilt.

All these varieties have showed tremendous results. But they are staring at a fate similar to that of Bt maize unless the country adopts a biosafety law.

The East African country has also lost its funding for the WEMA/TELA maize after it became obvious that progress in biotech crop approvals here had come to a standstill. Donors instead gave the money to other priority countries.

But while Uganda will now fall behind, several African countries are pushing to commercialize Bt crops. They see biotechnology as part of the solution to improve food security and end hunger for their communities.

Kenya, for instance, has progressed its research in insect resistant Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) maize past the confined and national field trials. The East African country is on course to commercialize the higher yielding food crop, which also reduced pesticide use, next year.

Dr Asea, however, said Ugandan scientists remain hopeful their own country will one day pass the law so researchers can deliver their products to the farmers.

But Nsubuga said it was not a question of if, but when, the country would pass the law.

“Uganda will pass the biotechnology law especially after Kenya starts harvesting Bt maize. Uganda will see the benefits of adopting these technologies and follow suit,” he said.

“Some people don’t think we need these technologies because Uganda is still producing a lot of food… we are still a food basket for the region. But things will be different once Kenya starts harvesting its Bt varieties,” he said.

Ugandan scientists halt Bt maize research after ‘very positive’ trials

Dr. Godfrey Asea, principal investigator for the Bt maize research and director of NaCRRI, said they discontinued the research after they concluded confined field trials (CFTs) but couldn’t progress work to the National Performance Trials or NPTs.

Bt maize. Courtesy photo

John Agaba

Journalist @New Vision