A board member of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) Prof Ann Glover spoke to Fred Oluoch on fears surrounding GM technology in Africa and the benefits of innovation in wealth creation.

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Africa has been accused of being cautious in accepting new agricultural technologies. Do you think these fears are justified?

It is not for me to judge whether Africa has been historically cautious. But Africa could learn from North America, which has grown GM crops for over 20 years and has been consuming them without any challenges. 

Africa is full of innovation and highly trained people who understand the particular needs of different countries in Africa. I think they should identify the most appropriate technology and apply it for sustainability.

Is GM technology the answer for a continent where millions face perennial hunger because of extreme weather conditions?

GM technology is just a way of modifying crops to suit our needs better and we have been doing this for decades. It offers us real potential. GM technology allows us to carry out forensic modification of seed genetics to allow us to either introduce traits that we want to respond to environmental conditions and other criteria that we have for crops. 

However, it is not a magic bullet and when it comes to extreme weather, especially in Africa, we need to look at every technology, not just GM alone. 

What is your position on the ban on GM crops by most African countries?

As I understand it, the dilemma in Africa with GM technology is that most African countries look at the EU as the biggest single market for their agricultural products. So, if the European market does not have a strong demand for GM crops, then Africa must act according to what is best for its farmers.

People have argued that GM crops reduce biodiversity and are contrary to the African practice of storing seeds from one harvest for use in the next.

But it is not GM crops that reduce biodiversity, it industrial agriculture — monoculture over a large area of land. Africa should pay less attention to what is happening in the EU, where we have the luxury to decide that we don’t want certain types of crops. 

As a scientist, I look at the evidence and my role is not to tell people that they should use GM technology. My responsibility is to prove that technology is safe and you have to decide how you want to apply it.

The biggest concerns in Africa are that some of GM seeds are patented, so the rights are held by multinational companies that prohibit re-use. How will AATF help to address these fears?

Whether GM or conventionally produced seeds, all seed companies produce for profit.  However, AATF has been promoting maize with unique traits such as water-efficiency, as well a type of maize that prevents the growth of striga weed, which decimates the maize crops in Africa and Asia.

These can be used by small-scale farmers in Africa without paying royalties to seed companies. It is a way of handing over food security to the farmer and the country.

For me that is very important because 80 per cent of African agriculture is small-holder farming, mostly done by women. Saving seeds for use in the next year is the culture of an African farmer. Therefore, AATF helps in identifying the best science, getting the knowledge and looking for mechanism for implementing that knowledge to translate into real benefits for the farmer.

Why is there such a wide difference between Europe and North America in the approach to GM technology?

It is very difficult within the EU to get permission to grow GM crops, and it is only Spain that grows GM maize. The objection to GM in EU is mainly philosophical and is not based on any scientific evidence.

We can ask whether there any evidence at all that this technology is not safe, either to human, animal or environmental health? In Africa, let us take BT cotton for example, which is grown in Burkina Faso.

The biggest beneficiary is the farmer, whose profits is higher than those who have to use pesticides and fertilisers. But in North America, mainly the US, the person who gains the most is the seed company — the Monsantos of this world.

My position is that in Africa and in Asia, farmers have to think about their own future and adopt the best technology for their own sustainability.