War against agricultural biotechnology is war against efforts to end hunger 

In Jonathan Swift's celebrated "Gulliver's Travels" novel, the egg breaking controversy occurs in the land of Lilliput, where two factions argue fiercely over the correct way to break eggs. One group, the Big-Endians, believes eggs should be broken at the larger end, while the other group, the Little-Endians, insists on breaking them at the smaller end. This seemingly trivial disagreement escalates into a major political and social conflict between the two groups.

The controversy ultimately leads to rebellions, wars, and societal divisions, illustrating Swift's critique of human folly and the absurdity of conflicts over trivial matters. 

This "egg breaking controversy" is reminiscent of the current debate surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). While there is broad acknowledgment of the global food security crisis, one potential solution—GMOs—remains mired in controversy.

The persistent campaign against GMOs and other biotechnological tools, such as genome editing, has hindered the adoption of these technologies in many parts of the world, including Ghana. Despite the significant potential of agricultural biotechnology to transform Africa's agricultural landscape, tackle food security issues, and drive economic growth, the technology continues to face strong opposition.

Unfortunately, the debate over whether Ghana and Africa should embrace biotech crops, including genetically modified organisms (GMOs), shows no signs of ending. Anti-GMO campaigns persist, fueling fear and skepticism about the technology. However, even if Ghana delays the adoption of GMOs, the global advancement of biotech crops will continue unabated.

Many advanced and developing countries, including Australia, USA, Canada, Argentina, Spain, India, Pakistan, Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Paraguay, Uruguay, Slovakia, South Africa, and Nigeria, have enthusiastically embraced this technology and are making significant advancements in its implementation.

That's why Samuel Edudzi Timpo, leading the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) flagship biosafety programme, urges African states and governments not merely to be consumers of biotechnology products but to actively engage in developing and utilising modern biotechnological tools, such as genome editing.

He highlighted that biotechnology provides a cost-effective approach to seed breeding, enabling the development of crop varieties resilient to environmental stresses like pests, diseases, and changing climatic conditions.

Uses of biotechnology

Modern biotechnological methods are currently applied to crops such as rice, tomato, maize, sugarcane, soybean, and potato to enhance resistance to pests and diseases, improve tolerance to environmental stresses, increase nutrient efficiency, and boost yield potential. 

Similarly, in animals such as poultry, sheep, goats, cattle, and pigs, these techniques aim to enhance disease resistance, adaptability to farming and environmental conditions, and overall animal welfare.

Mr. Timpon would find it disappointing if African nations waited for other countries to develop and benefit from biotechnology, including genome editing technology, before considering it themselves.

“This is the problem of Africa; we tend to wait for others to go far…and by the time we realise it is okay, we become buyers,” he noted, adding that biotechnology is a good technology that should be embraced by all, particularly African governments—African farmers.

Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, a Ghanaian plant geneticist and the founding director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University of Ghana, supports Mr. Timpon's call. He argues that African farmers need access to biotech crops more than farmers anywhere else in the world.

His conviction is based on the fact that Africa has more smallholder farmers than any other region, and these farmers are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, pests, diseases, and soil deficiencies.

He further argues that by adopting and using biotech crops, African farmers can increase their production and productivity, thereby contributing significantly to the continent's efforts to ensure food security.

For instance, Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG-2) aims to "end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture."

However, ensuring food security on the continent remains a major challenge, as highlighted by the 2022 report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which reported that “In 2022, nearly 282 million people in Africa were undernourished, an increase of 57 million people since the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Why biotechnology solution?

In Ghana, for example, the Ghana Statistical Service's (GSS) annual household income and expenditure survey for the first and second quarters of 2022 indicates that 49.1 percent of the population experienced food insecurity, with a higher prevalence in rural areas compared to urban areas.

The GSS statistics are not only troubling but alarming, given that the majority of Ghana's food comes from rural areas. Another challenge is that most of these rural farmers are smallholders who rely on traditional, primarily rain-fed farming methods.

This is why Prof. Danquah argues that, given the various challenges faced by African farmers, particularly smallholder farmers, it is time for African governments to use available data on biotech solutions to make decisions that would improve livelihoods and lift millions out of extreme hunger and poverty in the region.

He expressed concern that "anti-GMO activism has stalled the adoption of genetically engineered crops in many countries, contributing to the continued use of unsafe pesticides, as well as perpetuating hunger and poverty."

He noted that currently, only seven African countries have approved GMOs, while 11 others, including Ghana, are at various stages of development.

Prof. Danquah emphasised the urgent need to increase food production on less land with fewer chemicals, stressing the necessity of developing improved varieties of staple crops that yield high and resist physical and biological stresses for a green revolution and food self-sufficiency in Ghana.

He argued that science-based agriculture could help preserve critical indigenous foods like cowpea, millet, cassava, and sorghum, while reducing the environmental impacts of farming.

Prof. Danquah noted that on average, genetically engineered crops have reduced chemical pesticide use by 37 percent, increased crop yields by two percent, boosted farmer profits by 38 percent, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 12 million cars off the road.

The esteemed plant geneticist further emphasized that farmers worldwide are grappling with the severe impacts of climate change, including disrupted rainfall patterns, droughts, extreme weather events, pest infestations, plant diseases, crop losses, and hunger.

He stressed the necessity for African governments to adopt biotech solutions such as GMO crops.

He believes that "Better seeds developed through genetic engineering offer hope" and added, "Let us not allow regulatory delays to prevent millions of farmers from accessing this life-saving technology."

Prof. Danquah also advocated for the integration of rapidly evolving tools of modern biotechnology, including genome editing, into crop improvement programmes to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability in Ghana.

For him, there is the need for the government to allow farmers in the country the freedom to choose and adopt crops developed through modern scientific plant breeding methods, including GM technology. 

He emphasized the need for Ghana to implement a comprehensive science policy that prioritises scientific advancements in agricultural transformation.

He observed that biotechnological solutions and innovations enable scientists to address agricultural challenges that conventional farming methods struggle to overcome. 

Prof. Danquah emphasised that biotech innovations protect crops against insects and weeds - two significant challenges that globally reduce crop yields and contribute to crop failures.

He, however, expressed concern about the increasing misinformation surrounding GMO crops in the country, stating, it has been many year, almost close to three decades since the first GMOs were released, and “I am not aware of a single credible food or feed safety issue related to GMOs."

He said, "There is a strong scientific consensus globally on GMOs, similar to the consensus among scientists on climate change."

Prof. Danquah finds it troubling that despite official scientific reports from respected institutions such as the World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organization, National Academy of Sciences (USA), Royal Society (UK), American Medical Association (USA), French Academy of Medicine, European Commission, US Food and Drug Administration, Society of Toxicology, and Institute of Food Technology, some individuals continue to spread misinformation about GMOs and other biotechnology tools.

To alleviate public concerns about biotechnology, Samuel Timpo, head of the AUDA-NEPAD flagship biosafety programme, explains that the African Union is enhancing the capacities of its member states to adopt this technology.

He highlighted that the AU has developed a continental-level policy to provide guidance to all member states.

Mr. Timpo emphasised that biotechnology has the potential to enhance livelihoods and transform societies.

He believes it is time for African nations to embrace biotechnology to advance agriculture and improve the lives of their citizens.

Mr. Timpo noted, "We have a range of tools available that our institutions, despite limited resources, can actively engage with to shape the research agenda. Pursuing crops of national interest can be done in a cost-effective manner, which is why we should embrace it."

Speaking at a Genome Editing Communication materials validation workshop in Accra, the Director General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Prof. Paul Bosu, emphasised that "Science and technology will remain vital in enhancing agricultural productivity and improving the livelihoods of farmers." 

He highlighted the need for ongoing dialogue on the critical role of modern biotechnology in agriculture, healthcare, and the management of natural resources.

Prof. Bosu also stressed the growing urgency of applying modern biotechnological tools, particularly in addressing the challenges that impede productivity among farmers and other stakeholders in the value chain.