Why is Syda Bbumba pledging to support the GMO?

GMO | AGRICULTURE

By Isaac Ongu

The misconceptions surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMO) is not about to end even among legislators who purport to be supporting it. On Tuesday, March 27, 2018, I attended a bioscience conference held at the Uganda National Industrial Research Institute, where Syda Bbumba pledged her support for the Biosafety Bill to the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. Her reason for Support was that, "the demon is already here with us".

The Biosafety Bill was passed by Parliament in October last year, but was later returned to the House unsigned by the President for reconsideration of specific clauses and issues that the President pointed out in his letter to the Speaker. Is Bbumba the only MP who has seen good in this "demon" which she claims is already with us?

Last year, the President in his letter to the Speaker, enquired whether the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) had already released GMOs. He went on to direct for the establishment of the "Noah's Ark" to protect "our indigenous" varieties in case something goes wrong. The scientists later confirmed what the President referred to as "Noah's Ark" is a Gene Bank which is already in existence.

According to NARO, the "demon" is still fenced off and locked up with a 24/7-armed watchmen to ensure no seed, sucker, or stem gets out to farmers before the law is in place to allow them confirm that what is proven safe elsewhere, grown elsewhere and exported to a continent like Europe that wants it but does not want to grow it, is safe.

What could have made Bbumba see good in a "demon"?

NARO insists they only use GM technology to solve problems which cannot be handled through conventional means of crossing pollen from say a resistant variety to the stigma of a non-resistant variety with the hope of producing some off-springs which are resistant and liked by farmers.

Ugandan banana breeders at Kawanda have improved local banana varieties to resist the devastating banana bacterial wilt. Farmers that do not follow the recommended methods of sterilising farm implements; breaking the male buds and roguing infected plants, end up losing the entire plantation. Some communities have passed bylaws to penalise those who fail to adhere to the strict management practices.

Potato breeders at Kachwekano in partnership with International Centre for Potato have improved the locally grown Victoria Potato variety to resist late blight disease so that potato farmers will not have to buy fungicides. The continuous exposure to chemicals as a result of poor handling will be eliminated and farmers will save money previously spent on spraying.

Cassava breeders under the national cassava programme in Namulonge has improved farmer preferred cassava varieties like TME 204, grown widely in Uganda to resist cassava brown streak disease that is causing havoc in Ngora district and other cassava growing areas. Cassava brown streak disease is ranked among the top devastating crop diseases and causes up to 100% yield loss.

The cereals programme at Namulonge is improving the Longe maize varieties that farmers already grow, to resist maize stalk borer and the recent fall armyworm. Maize stalk borer can make a farmer lose up to 30kg of maize out of every 100kg bag. Despite the loss, the holes left by insects while feeding attract the growth of fungi that is responsible for the production of aflatoxin, a heat resistant toxin that is a known carcinogen.

With all these challenges being addressed through genetic engineering technique, it is understandable for Bbumba to choose to support the "demon" for the sake of ensuring a food secure Uganda. This so called "demon" has been grown in Brazil, Argentina, US, Canada, South Africa and exported to Europe that prefers to consume without growing.

I hope when Bbumba's farmers begin to grow a genetically modified "Mpologoma" banana that is resistant to bacterial wilt, she will make another statement, "The Angel is indeed here with us".

The writer is an agriculturist

isaacongu@gmail.com