Lominda Afedraru
13 August 2008
Much as the global world is encouraging farmers to adopt the culture of planting modified plant species, scientists in Uganda are telling farmers to put more emphasis in producing traditional crops.
The scientists who were brainstorming with civil society leaders at the fifth Open Forum for Agriculture Biotechnology in Africa (Ofab) on the theme "The role of Biotechnology in Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Utilisation of Genetic resources" at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala argued the traditional plant species which are also the country's staple food are rich in food value compared to the modified species.
The traditional crops include among others, sorghum, millet, cassava, beans, rice, matooke, groundnuts and simsim.
On the other hand, the scientists encourage the production of the modified species since the government gave them a green light to carry out research on the modified crops, though both the government and farmers agree on preserving seedlings of the traditional plant in the gene banks.
Gene banks are specified places where farmers and the government keep seedlings and plant tissues for purposes of conserving the plant species; a case in point is the botanical garden in Entebbe
Mr Author Makara, a senior Biotechnology Scientist with the Uganda National Science and Technology recommended that the government maintain its gene bank at the National Plant Genetic Resource Centre in Entebbe for purposes of keeping all the traditional plant species.
Makara said, already there are research institutes such as the Institute of Environment at Makerere University that are collecting the various indigenous plant species for conservation purposes.
An Associate Botanist Professor John R.S.
Tabuti with the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources, Makerere University said the elimination of varieties considered inferior by farmers may lower crop genetic diversity; resulting in loss of beneficial genes for traditional crop survival.
According to Tabuti, farmers can best manage crop varieties.
"However, if they concentrate on selected crop species then the management and crop selection practices may affect crop diversity."
Tabuti urged farmers to constantly look for and acquire new varieties of crops for their farms.
"The search for these new varieties maintains and supports their livelihoods by having ready access to plant products necessary for their survival and to insure against unanticipated economic and environmental changes.
"There is therefore need to replace lost varieties which may occur due to war situations, famine, weather changes, pests and diseases," Tabuti said.
In Tororo for example, results indicate a rapid turn-over of crop varieties because farmers are getting seed from Serere Research Station.
He expressed fears that since farmers are actively managing the crop varieties, some beneficial genes may not be detected and selected.
Tabuti went further to explain that having acquired new varieties, farmers propagate them on their farm and observe their agronomic performance.
"While they observe the new varieties, they select some with favourable characteristics for future planting, while eliminating those with inferior qualities.
These techniques exert selection pressure on crops and quickly eliminate characteristics not desired by farmers; while amplifying those liked by farmers.
A case in point is the big pod and seed sizes. Generally, this process of experimentation and selection may cause a rapid loss of important and beneficial genes because they are associated and found in individuals with inferior characteristics" Tabuti said.
This trend according to Tabuti will impact on rural livelihoods in developing countries, which depend on low input in agriculture.
He recommended that varieties considered inferior should be identified and their genes stored at the national gene banks at Entebbe.
Tabuti advised the government to create regional botanical gardens in the different regions of Uganda and encourage farmers to maintain crop varieties on their farms.
Uganda is in the process of joining the rest of the world in adopting the use of Biotechnology and Biosafety as a technique to improve products from living organisms for purposes of safeguarding and minting their quality.
But Biotechnological scientists said this agenda can only be possible if the government enacts a law on Biotechnology and Biosafety to safeguard influx of the modified products from other countries into Uganda.
The government in April passed the Biotechnology and Biosafety policy with an objective of safeguarding the modified plant species that are at research level in the various science laboratories.
But the scientists say having a policy minus a law may not serve the purpose.
They have strongly defended the existence of a Biotechnology policy and law adding that it will help the government decide whether or not to approve commercialisation of Genetically modified products (GMO's).
"How will Uganda stop entry of these products into the country minus a law?" the Executive Secretary for Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, Dr Peter Ndebere asked.
The government is however positive about the idea of having a law on Biotechnology because it will help control the influx of the products most especially in developed world into the Country.
Environment Minister Ms Jessica Eriyo told the gathering that the cabinet was studying the draft bill on Biotechnology and Biosafety with an intention of passing it when all the loopholes in it filled in.
However, some members of the civil society are pessimistic about the introduction of Biotechnology products in Uganda.
They said that Biotechnology products promote abnormal genes in human beings and is a profit making venture to benefit the developed world.
Scientists in Uganda have of recent embarked on the use of Biotechnology and Biosafety technique at a research level as a mechanism in the fight against pests, wilts and bacteria that are affecting our mostly consumed crops.
Some of the research work going on in Kawanda Research Centre is on the East African Highland banana. Dr Geoffrey Arinaitwe who is in charge of pests and other weevils at Kawanda Research Centre discovered at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, that a fungus called the black Sigatoka which is the major destroyer of the East African High land Banana can be destroyed by genes obtained from rice called Kitinise gene.
He obtained the above fungus and transferred it to the banana cells. They were brought to Uganda in test tubes early last year and placed in the laboratory at Kawanda.
They were later transferred into green houses and are being tasted in a confined one acre land at Kawanda. This is because the scientists want to prove if actually the Kitinase gene can destroy the said banana diseases.
The group is further studying whether the Kitinase gene can destroy Nematod pest, wilts and other weevils, which destroy banana roots.
Scientists have also established a genetic platform for cassava species aimed at improving the crop.
The Scientists who are particularly involved in the research of how to administer and control modified plant and animal products have embarked on setting up a Centre at National Crops Resource Research Institute (NCRRI) at Namulonge in Wakiso District for purposes of modifying the cassava species.
The scientists say the above efforts are of benefit to farmers because it will improve the cassava and banana species since there will be improved resistance to pests and diseases on the crops.
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