GMOS Undergo Most Safety Checks-African Scientists Declare
By Samuel Hinneh
Development of new Genetic modified organisms (GMOs) varieties are taken through intensive safety procedures before released into the environment for human consumption therefore, devoid of any safety hazards, scientists in African have said.
The application of genetic engineering model to produce GMOs is highly regulated compared to conventional breeding and also very much safer, says Geofrey ?Arinaitwe, Consultant, Biotechnology Unit of the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) of Uganda.
?The research we do is governed by ethical committee, therefore proposals on developing varieties of GMOs are presented to the National Council of Science and Technology and if it is not agreeable in terms of social responsibility, ethical responsibility, legal responsibility, even nutritional responsibility and economics as well as what is likely to do in the country they will not allow it,?? he emphasised.
Even though organisations and individuals are against and express fear about the technology, the United Nations Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety issues concerning GM outlined precautionary measures that employ countries to undertake in-depth testing based on sound understanding on scientific principles governing modified organisms, environmental impact assessment, health and safety risks as well as benefits and economic benefits before adopting the technology.
Ghana in 2012 passed the Biosafety Act, 831, 2011 into law which allows for the application of biotechnology in food crop production involving GMOs.
?It is the safest approach however people who do not understand or feel scared need to seek more information, seek for the truth about the technology??, Arinaitwe emphasised.
The poverty level, the famine, as well as the micro nutrients deficiency in Africa, the continent needs a model that can work for Africa spearheaded by African scientists who understands the problems in Africa, noted Arinaitwe.
Genetic engineering as a tool is used to improve crop yields, improve resistance against drought, among others to achieve food security, according to him.
?A model (GMOs) where Africans themselves can solve the situation, not depend on importation of maize and food supplement, a solution that is not sustainable considering that we do not have that much money,?? Arinaitwe stated.
Titus Alicai a plant virologist of NARO says the environmental impacts, health, as well as biodiversity are checked before GMOs are released into the environment which is not done for the other methods of developing new varieties.
?Those checks are not mandatory, but for GMOs it is required by law and by regulations that the safety has been assured, that is what the biosafety is all about, safety of GMOs products. From that alone I can say without fearing that it is safe,?? he emphasises,.
Uganda does not have a biosafety law but has regulatory framework for research that allows for research on GMOs, ??that?s why we are asking for biosafety law so that whatever we come up with can be of benefit to farmers??, Alicai, notes.
For organisations and people who claim GMOs are not safe, he challenged them to come out with evidence to support the claim, noting that most times that is lacking.
?Many times it has nothing to do with the science or the technology it is just people?s beliefs, but for scientists this is done on case by case basis to benefit communities,?? he stated.
Titus says it is also important to continue with conventional breeding in addition to GMOs.
?We are not saying only GMOs but? also continuing conventional breeding since for some issues conventional breeding have provided some solutions but for some problems GMOs provide a better solution while for other problems GMOs are the only solution,?? Alicai says.
Andrew Kiggundu, the head of National Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Uganda also adds that GMOs are safer due to the fact that scientists are concerned about safety as much as everybody else.
?Scientists are confident of the safety because for the first time in human civilisation, varieties of GMOs have to go through stringent safety assessment never has that been before and we are yet to know that even traditional breeding methods could have delivered unsafe products but we did not think about,?? he added.
Kiggundu notes that the GM technology brings in another thing that has not been done in the past that is to check all varieties developed using different methods for safety.
