Can GM crops help increase food security? Part 2

This blog is a continuation of last week's blog. Here I will discuss how GM crops are currently being used and the developments occurring.

Current GM crop use in Africa

As mentioned last week, access to GM crops is still unequal. This has meant that currently, South Africa is the only African country commercially growing GM crops. The GM crops grown are maize, cotton and soya. However, there are several other countries trialling this as well, namely Egypt, Tanzania and Kenya. Despite this, there are still many concerned about the impact these crops have, resulting in some countries, like Algeria and Sudan, imposing bans on them. As described previously in the context of Zambia, bans can have detrimental effects, such as causing food shortages due to the rejection of aid. This shows the differing opinions that exist within the continent. 

GM crops have the potential to ensure food security within the region. However. accessibility remains a key issue. High costs set by the biotech companies mean farmers are forced to take out loans to afford the seeds, meaning they end up in a cycle of debt. As such, it is essential that for GM crops to be universally beneficial, measures must be taken to ensure equitability to all farmers and not have it increase inequalities.

Drought resistant strains?

The promise this strain holds is immense. It has the potential to help overcome issues of drought that have long plagued Sub-Saharan Africa, thus pushing them closer to food security. Its research is still in the development stage, but the future these crops can provide looks good. Innovative trials currently being held are hoping to revolutionise farming in areas affected by droughts, including Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) is an example of one of these exciting trials. Its results have proven beneficial for the small-hold farmers using the TELA maize crop in Ethiopia. TELA has been genetically modified to be drought and insect resistant. As maize is a staple part of over 300 million diets across Sub-Saharan Africa, if there is widespread adoption of TELA's use, food security could potentially increase drastically. Additionally, there could be significant poverty alleviation as farmers benefit from better crop yields and locals benefit from food prices being more stable as supply is constant. So far, this has proved beneficial! TELA has successfully be proven to be moderately drought resistant, while being able to produce huge yields of around 4 ha. However, this would rely on farmer's interests being put before profits, which could potentially prove to be a hurdle. 

As you can see, there are many potential benefits to GM crops. However, the neo-colonialist and capitalist approaches of the biotech firms spearheading it promotion mean that its development is not without its problems. I hope this blog has helped highlight both its pros and cons. If equal access to this can be assured, while still giving locals agency in their own development, then I believe the benefits are sky-high. However, it should be noted that this could simply be a new way the Global North are seeking to control the Global South by dictating their agriculture and diet.


Comments

  1. Sihan GuJanuary 8, 2022 at 7:39 PM

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  2. Sihan GuJanuary 8, 2022 at 7:40 PM

    Hi Sara, you have mentioned in you post that the access of GM crops has been unequal arcoss Africa and it heavily depends on farmer's interest whether to adopt these crops or not. I am just wondering what do you think is the motivation/ demotivation behind these farmers interms of GM crops? It is also interesting that you brought up the idea such that GM crops being a new way of the Global North having control on the Global South, I would like to more about the stories behind this.

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    Replies
    1. Sara KhachatourianJanuary 9, 2022 at 5:10 PM

      Hi Sihan, thanks for the qs. Obviously I cant speak for every farmer, but from what I have researched I feel as though some farmers may be influenced by what they see in the media- so if GM crops are being portrayed negatively and as harmful, they would be less likely to want to grow these.
      In terms of GM crops perhaps being a way the Global North continues to control the Global South, this is more a thought due to the skepticism I generally have towards Western aid and development practises. Especially with these crops being owned by large capitalist organisations, how likely is it that they are actually doing all this for the benefit of the people? Profit seems more likely.

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