BY FIKADU BELAY
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are a topic of global concern, with proponents touting their potential benefits and critics questioning their safety and long-term effects on the environment and human health.
GMOs have been a controversial issue globally, and Ethiopia has been debating the use of GMOs, with some stakeholders advocating for the adoption of biotechnology to address food insecurity while others oppose the technology, citing concerns about its impact on biodiversity, human and animal health, and ethical considerations. But the government of the country has shown support for its use to boost the country’s agricultural productivity, while activists and farmers express their concerns about its impact on the country’s biodiversity and traditional farming practices.
In 2013, Ethiopia signed the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, a global treaty on the safe development, transfer, and handling of GMOs. The country is also a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which emphasizes the need for biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources. Currently, the Ethiopian government is working on the development of a biosafety regulatory framework that will regulate the use and release of GMOs in the country. It is essential to have reliable laws and regulations to have a robustly regulated GMO trade in Ethiopia.
Tekle Haimanot HaileSelasie, Assistance Professor at Addis Ababa University Biotechnology Institute, told The Ethiopian Herald that Ethiopia will benefit from or take part in the benefits of GMOs from a global perspective. So, GMO is a new addition, a new technology, to Ethiopia. It has not expanded that much, but nowadays we cannot use the benefits of the technology properly. But by extrapolation, benefits can trickle down to Ethiopia as well when we adopt the technology.
Agriculture has profited from new technological advancements from scientific endeavors over time, just like any other technology. Therefore, agriculture was also one of those, especially after the Green Revolution, which was crucial to maximizing production not only in Africa but also in some other nations like India, the USA, Canada, and other South American nations. However, he added that this expansion resulted from the use of mechanical agriculture and several inputs. stated that with GMOs, the quality can also improve. And also reduce the cost of inputs like fertilizer, herbicide, and pesticide.
These are pollutants in the environment. So if you can produce a lot from a small plot of land, farmers cannot increase their use of forests, and national parks for agricultural products . According to 2019 research shows, 1.7 million hectares had been cultivated for GMO crops since 1996, but now it has reached 190.4 million hectares after 24 years. And out of this, 72 countries have, in one way or another adopted the technology. 29 countries in the world are already growing GMO crops. But 42 countries are importing GMO crops from other countries that are producing them.
In Ethiopia, there are some challenges to GMOs, such as the limited knowledge and understanding of the technology among farmers, consumers, and policymakers. And Ethiopia also faces a lack of infrastructure, such as biotechnology laboratories, research facilities, and necessary equipment. This makes it difficult for scientists and researchers to carry out GMO research. and development. Currently, there is no robust regulatory framework for GMOs in Ethiopia. This lack of regulation could lead to the illegal importation and use of GMOs, which may pose a significant risk to the environment and human health. And in addition, Ethiopia has many important crops that are not yet well characterized from a genetic or breeding standpoint. Introducing GMOs could lead to the loss of biodiversity in the country, both in crops and their wild relatives.
On the other hand, Ethiopia has diverse ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups that have their own unique cultural practices and beliefs. Some of these groups may oppose GMOs on spiritual or cultural grounds, leading to further resistance to the adoption of the technology. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have the potential to address some of the challenges that Ethiopia is facing in terms of food security, crop productivity, and resilience to climate change. In the country, farmers face many obstacles, such as drought, pests, and diseases, which can substantially reduce crop yields. GMOs have the potential to provide crops that are more drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and disease-resistant, making them better adaptable to the Ethiopian environment.
Some experts believe that GMOs can potentially cause harm to the environment by introducing foreign genes into the local ecosystem. This can result in the loss of biodiversity, harm to non-target species, and unintended consequences for crops or soil health. And also, GMOs can lead to monopolization of the seed industry, leaving farmers dependent on a small number of corporations for their seeds. This can lead to higher prices and a lack of control over the seeds they use, impacting small farmers in particular. Moreover, it is not clear whether the modification of genetic material could affect the nutrient value of the food or trigger allergic reactions in some consumers.
He said that to ensure that the products are safe for human consumption, animal consumption, the environment, and biodiversity, and also, as he mentioned, for all these reasons, there are several directives that can attempt to accomplish the purpose. So now we have about five or six directives or laws for the implementation of this biosafety law. The Prime Minister’s office also formed a body at the national level called the National Advisory body to help the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) make decisions about the implementation of this law, he added.
He stated that the directive applies to all genetically engineered creatures. It could be for the benefit of plants, animals, microbes, agriculture, industry, or health. Additionally, it may be if the government thinks it will help the nation’s economy grow. Only a relatively small number of plants are grown in the country due to the low level of technological progress. Of course, it’s just cotton, but there are other things higher up, like maize, that will likely be uprooted soon.
He noted how poorly the general population in Ethiopia views technology. In this regard, various organizations, such as the Institute of Agricultural Research, universities, researchers, and others, are fostering perception and awareness. According to him, food safety evaluations will be done in the lab for a number of years to ensure that when it is released onto the market, it won’t have an impact on either human or animal health. That is how the National Biocity Advisory Committee will seem before the EPA grants authorization. They will assess the GMOs’ safety.
When compared, the benefit of GMOs is much higher than the risk. In addition, to manage this risk, it requires the involvement of ensuring that the laws are in place and working within cooperation between different institutions involved in regulation. For example, the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Health all have a Food and Drug Administration Institute within them.
He recommends that researchers or some companies that are involved in the production of GMOs for commercial purposes must use biosafety and environmental risk assessment before they release their produces for commercialization. So the rumors that go around claiming that GMOs are harmful for the environment orbiodiversity conservation, etc may have some merit to some extent, but they are obviously without any scientific merit.
In addition, they have no scientific background; they are based on rumors and some vested interests, for example. Some of them don’t want us to develop and ensure our food security. So as long as there are proper guidelines as well as proper regulatory frameworks in Ethiopia, and the scientists all use them and implement them appropriately, we can use GMOs to solve our problems in food production, in the manufacture of quality seeds, and then our economic problems in a short period of time, he added.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 23 MAY 2023
