Even though, GMOs have been scientifically proven to be safe and would, in the opinion of some research scientists, be an invaluable component of Uganda's food security strategy, they continue to be a target of attack for politicians and civil society groups. 

Uganda, ironically however, has the largest number of GMO crops (sweet potatoes, bananas, cassava, rice, etc.) under test at its famed National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO) according to statistics from South Africa’s African Center for Biodiversity.

The NARO scientists, who by all accounts, recently discovered new aflatoxin control methods, are unable to release their improved seed and crop varieties because the country lacks a GMO policy.

Many of the scientists have however been unwavering in pushing for a GMO bill.

In many ways, Uganda’s GMO-restrictive environment has many anti-GMO groups and individuals to freely spread GMO misinformation and to push for, for example, agroecology, which a 2020 continent-wide scientific meta-analysis of conservation agriculture experiments in Africa found could trap African farmers in poverty.

In 2019, Ugandan agricultural scholar, Nassib Mugwanya pointed out in a write-up that agroecology, among other things, is riddled with inefficient farming methods.

It is however a practice, some in the country’s anti-GMO lobby want the farmers to adopt.

In March, an official from the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, a group that has previously labeled GMO seeds as neocolonialist seeds, was urging the country's farmers to embrace agroecology, which is essentially the practice of combining planting trees and farming.

Ugandan anti-GMO civil society players had also earlier in January taken the Kenyan government to the East African Court of Justice over its decision to allow the open cultivation and importation of GMOs.

The arguments for and against GMOs

Namibian conservation scientist Peter Shihepo told New Vision online that GMO seeds are seeds of suicide and adoption will spell the irreversible contamination of Africa’s indigenous seed varieties, food production chains, and ecological systems.

“Their adoption will also mean a loss of home-grown knowledge and greater use of dangerous herbicides like glyphosate, which a recent University of Washington study indicated increases the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma by 41 percent.

Agroecologist Robert Sseremba concurred saying gmo patented seeds will undermine Africa’s seed sovereignty, yet almost 85 percent of Africa’s food comes from seeds saved from previous season harvests. 

“Africa has to protect the integrity of its traditional seeds and crops because their extinction will raise the specter of hunger and malnutrition,” Sseremba told New Vision online.

Some scientists hold contrary views, however.

Erick Okwalinga, a plant scientist, says contrary to popular misconception, gmo biotechnology will not destroy farmers' indigenous farming practices or crops as some agro-ecologists contend. 

Dr. Andrew Kiggundu, a biotechnologist with NARO. Credit-Biotechnology online series

“Rather, it will transform Uganda’s farming systems by reducing farmers’ post-harvest losses and increasing crop resistance to drought and other climate extremes. Climate resilient and disease resistant crop varieties will help Uganda, an agriculture-based economy achieve objective 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Zero Hunger agenda.”

“Agroecology, on the other hand, contradicts President Museveni's calls for agricultural modernization. How can agriculture be modernized when farmers are invariably encouraged to adhere to unproductive traditional practices? Those practices in most cases, result in low crop yields and incomes for resource-poor households, looking to extricate themselves out of poverty.”

“It is unwise to spread GMO misinformation based on nescience and to encourage the use of traditional farming methods in a country where the population has more than tripled in recent years and food production has remained insufficient.”

According to Dr. Andrew Kiggundu, a biotechnologist with NARO, it is through modern biotechnology that the country will empower its farming communities to produce high-yielding and nutritious crops with better genetic traits and higher vitamins.

“Uganda cannot afford to miss out on the gene revolution. Higher and better crop yields produced with biotechnology’s cluster techniques will help reduce food insecurity and micronutrient deficiencies which pose a serious threat to the health of several Ugandan pregnant women and young children,” Kiggundu said.

According to Kiggundu, adopting biotechnology would mean improved seeds, better disease, and pest resistance, less chemical application, and less chemical exposure to humans in the garden and food. 

“It would also mean that crop losses caused by climate change and other extreme weather events will be mitigated.”

Charity Muduwa, a research scientist who once rooted for agroecology, told New Vision online that whilst Uganda does not have a GMO Bill if she had to choose between agroecology and biotechnology, she would tip the scale in favor of biotechnology. 

"It is the one assured way, Uganda will achieve agricultural sustainability-one of the cornerstones of the fourth industrial revolution, which is necessary to face among other things, the effects of climate change. Using tools for genome editing like CRISPR-CAS9 can guarantee integrated disease management, sustainable crop production, management, quality control, and overall development of the nation's agricultural sector.”

Dr. Fredrick Kabi, a senior researcher with NARO who is currently developing a tick vaccine said in animal production, biotechnology will offer significant opportunities for the development of vaccines and diagnostics targeting diseases that limit livestock production.

“Furthermore, the use of genetic markers can help breed animals for desirable qualities including disease resistance, higher quality products, and greater productivity.”

According to Okwalinga, biotechnology holds the potential to improve the efficiency with which external inputs are used in agriculture, hence minimising the environmental footprint of agriculture and promoting more environmentally friendly and resilient agricultural practices.

“It will cut down on the use of pesticides and fertilisers while extending the shelf life of the nation's key crops. Crops resistant to pests require fewer pesticide applications. The use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers will be reduced when pest-tolerant crops are planted, resulting in lower CO2 emissions.”

Alfred Kafeero, a biotechnologist, agreed.

"The replacement of pesticides, which reduces the amount of harmful chemicals in the environment will improve open country fauna. Biotechnology represents a tool for enhancing genetic diversity in crop species through the introduction of new and useful genes,” said Kafeero. 

“It will play a significant role in biodiversity conservation such as the multiplication of many species. It will enable the production of large numbers of plants from small pieces of the stock plant in a relatively short period and some cases for recovery of virus-free plants.”