Genetically Modified (GM) Crops
What is being grown, where, and by whom?
Facts and Terms from "Putting GM Technologies to Work: Public Research Pipelines in Selected African Countries," African Journal of Biotechnology, November 2004, by Idah Sithole-Niang, Professor, University of Zimbabwe;
Joel I. Cohen, IFPRI Senior Research Fellow; and Patricia Zambrano, IFPRI Research Analyst (unless other sources cited)
- In the four African countries studied (Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe), the public sector undertook GM research for 20 different crops. To date, the crops with the most modifications are maize, potato, sugar cane, and tomato.
- Egypt conducts public sector biotech research on the largest variety of crops (8), followed by South Africa (7), Zimbabwe (3), and Kenya (2).
- Much of the research focuses on crop improvements, particularly resistance to disease and insects, for the benefit of poor farmers and consumers. Others improvements include: Reduced need for conventional pesticides and other agrochemicals Increased tolerance to drought and saline soils Prolonged shelf life and other enhanced product characteristics Improved nutritional value
- Seventy-two percent of the genetic materials used in this research are derived locally from public materials. By contrast, only fifteen percent were from local private materials.
- With the exception of South Africa and Egypt, Africa lacks many capabilities and resources to advance public GM research. At present, Zimbabwe does not have a clear national GM policy, and Kenya requires more resources to strengthen its biosafety review capacity.
- South Africa has made significant investments in biotechnology research and development. A sound biosafety regulatory process is in place and biotech research is more targeted and better coordinated than it was initially.
- Public biotech crop research in Egypt has benefited in large part from collaboration with the private sector. Research is highly focused on improving locally-relevant crops, 7 of which are currently in confined field trials.
- In 2003, the United States, Argentina, Canada, Brazil, and China accounted for 99 percent of the 67.7 million hectares under biotech crop cultivation worldwide. Of this production, 99 percent concentrated on just four crops (soybean, maize, cotton, and canola), and were developed mainly to tolerate herbicides and/or resist insects. (Clive, James. 2003, Preview: Global Status of Commercialized Transgenic Crops. ISAAA)