AU Agriculture Experts Outline Postion on GMOs

African Agriculture experts meeting during the third Conference of AU ministers of agriculture, Libreville, Gabon, have urged to put in place a biosafety framework in order to harness the potential from biotechnology while minimizing the risks, since their countries are signatory parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

In a paper presented to ministers from 24 countries and to representatives of leading development agencies organizations and institutions, the experts argued that genetic engineering is a tool that could be used to resolve some of the constraints of African agriculture, and should therefore be considered along with other conventional farming practices. However, they underscored the high cost related to biotechnology research and development and encouraged international collaboration and partnership as well as institutional linkages, regional initiatives and innovative approaches to access patented technologies for the benefit of small holder farmers in Africa.

Experts observed that research to develop indigenous African crops can best be done by African research institutions with the support of African governments.

To harness the benefit of GM technology, “it is necessary for Africa to develop facilities for regulatory purposes, to enhance scientific capacity of institutions operating in biotechnology research and development and those conducting risk assessment studies, and establish GMO testing facilities and to streamline regulations for testing GM crops to assess their merit”, the experts told the ministers.

For more information email Daniel Otunge (d.otunge@cgiar.org) of ISAAA AfriCenter.