Currently the biotech plays a crucial role in modernizing agriculture particularly the innovation which took place through utilizing Genetically Modified Organ miraculously changing the spectrum. It increased crop yield, reduced need for pesticides, enhanced nutrient content and reduced cost of food and drug production.
Worku Demela is working in the United Nations Development Program in Montreal Canada as an Advisor on the Environment Principle for the secretariat. He also participated in the formulation of bio safety law of Ethiopia.
As to him, the technological innovation induced by science advancement has brought tremendous impact on social and economic aspects. At the same time rose controversy particularly on the religious perspective.
Previously scientists who created the knowledge named the term as “genetic engineering organ” but fearing the social none conformity, they changed the term in to “ genetically modified” The Cartagena protocol named as “living modified organisms” in which the trait of the genes is changed by technology brought from other specious.
It defers from the conventional breeding system and passed across the nature rules and changed the traits of the gene of plants and animals.
The technology reached to the experimental level in 1980s and supplied to the market in 1990s.
In the past when scientists utilize the conventional system they were unable to transfer animals gene trait in two plants but the accentuation of GMO enabled them to do so.
For example in order to defend the plant from diseases a gene which has a trait enable to kill the disease will be taken from other plant put in other plant and in such manner protecting the plant from the diseases will be possible. Such practices differed from tissue culture and breeding.
Traditionally bio technology was applied for baking bread and producing “Tella and Tej” liquors.But transgenic technology by pass the natural limit. Both proponents and opponents of GMO agreed that utilizing the transgenic technology should be governed by law.
Dr Shiferaw Adilu is an economist. As to him, transgenic technology has brought various benefits for agriculture. It raised productivity, enabled plants to resist diseases and drought, to enhance the nutritional content of crops and to grow crops with small areas with high productivity. But there are also some concerns in utilizing the technology similar to other technology.
Biotechnology in the field of medicine has brought tremendous impact particularly in producing insulin for diabetic patients. Previously insulin derived from pigs was given to patients now things have changed.
Insulin is produced through utilizing genetically modified organism. Genes that can produce insulin will be put in bacteria, which have high capacity to be reproduced and insulin will be produced and harvested. It is a medicine which serves to save human life and enable diabetic patients to live productive life. Before such type of medicine was invented many diabetic patients were consuming more food not to face hunger due to the disease but it was not effective.
Insulin is an element created in human pancreas and when the body fails to produce insulin people become sick. Hence when the creation of insulin is needed through utilizing the technology the body can produce the element. GMO also serves to create hormones and produce vaccines.
Implanting new gene is mostly used on crops.
For example wed makes trouble on crops and particularly in Ethiopia it reduces productivity.
The herbicide which is utilized to kill weds might negatively affects the crop hence utilizing, GMO has been a preferred choice. The transgenic technology enables the crop to be resilient to herbs.
The numbers of genes counted in thousands and there are up to 35 thousand genes in human being.
They live in our cells and in the cell there are chromosomes. The genes determines our human nature for example our length, color, our capacity to resist diseases. They pest the traits in our DNA, which helps to develop our characters.
Here we can look how BT cotton works. It releases toxic material on insects when they begin to eat the cotton. The gene which allows the production of toxic material comes from other plants will be put in cotton or maize genes and the plants will defend themselves from the insect through producing the toxic material. Hence this shows the irrelevancy of spreading insecticide on cotton or maize which may harm none targeted plants and the environment at large.
But even tangible achievements witnessed from the technology, there are still some debates.
As to Shiferaw, issues such as to what extent does crop productivity rise through utilizing the technology , how much the plant grow free from trouble and how far the benefit surpassed the cost of utilizing the technology need unequivocal answers.
In the sphere of medical Science, much is expected to be gained through the technology in the future. Various research and experiments are undergoing.
There are many problems on human immunity system and to fix them the gene therapy might be a solution.
As to Shiferaw, the introduction of the technology has been more than 25 years but there is no a registered risks due to the utilization of the technology. But the issue whether 25 years is sufficient or not is debatable. The other thing that should be underlined is that there is natural gene pool which should be protected from the possible harm.
It helps for the protection of the ecosystem.
In fact biodiversity might be harmed naturally and the movement of one plant gene to the other through wind also occurs and it might also be destroyed because of drought and forest fire.
They can be exterminated by human activities too.
Eucalyptus tree is an exogenous plant. in most places where it existed the number of indigenous plants dwindles. It has economic value particularly for construction but due to its high water consumption other specious are diminishing. Hence the planting of this tree should be in restricted places and if it goes to the wild forests it might create anomalies on natural bio diversity.Thus doing things cautiously is essential.
BY ABEBE WOLDEGIORGIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2021
