Food crisis whets EA’s appetite for GM crops

The food policy institute says developing countries and investors should maintain agricultural productivity even under the current recession to avoid the negative effects of slower growth.

In 2008, with the onset of the food and financial crises, growth slowed and projections were scaled down. Low economic growth will have negative effects on investment and productivity.

Most of the plant biotechnology research in Africa is being carried out in South Africa, Egypt, Uganda and Kenya. Uganda begins laboratory trials on drought resistant maize next month. A similar trial will start in South Africa, Kenya and Malawi.

At the University of Cape Town, maize resistant to streak virus (MSV) and drought-tolerant varieties are being worked on, as well as vaccine production in tobacco.

The South African Sugar Experiment Station is developing herbicide-resistant sugarcane. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research has engineered fungi-resistant maize and millet.

The Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute in Cairo has developed insect-resistant cotton and is carrying out field trails on other genetically modified crops. And the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute is conducting field trials on virus-resistant sweet potatoes.