Expert advocates use of genetically modified crops

Dr Ibrahim Dzido Atokple, expert in Sorghum breeder, has said projection of the world population to seven billion had called for the adoption of Genetically Modified (GM) crops to solve world hunger.

He said with the fast growing population rate of Ghana, it was critical to prioritise bio-technology methods to increase crop yield and improve the nutritional value of food in specific ways.

“With agro-chemical solutions of the 1960’s reaching their limits, scientists are looking to biological solutions such as GM, mutagenesis and marker assisted breeding,” Mr Atokple said.

Dr Atokple made the call at a forum, organised by Open Forum on Agricultural Bio-technology in Africa (OFAB) on the theme: “Biotechnology: A Tool for Increased Productivity of Cowpea in Ghana”, in Accra.

The forum that brought together scientists, journalists, civil societies, and policy makers served as a platform for stakeholders to share knowledge, experiences and explore new avenues for un-leashing biotechnology.

Biotechnology involves the use of genes, cells and tissues to manufacture substances including food and  available statistics indicated that about 68 per cent of world production areas covering 14 million hectares were obtained from West Africa and Central African sub-regions.

In Ghana, cowpea is cultivated in the Guinea and Sudan Savannah ecologies.

Dr Atokple said Ghana’s adoption of improved high-yielding varieties of cowpeas had resulted in increased production over the last decade.

He said national production was about 204, 800 metric tonnes per annum and that typical yields of farmers fields ranged between 350 to 700 kilogramme per hectare.

Dr Atokple said a Food and Agriculture Organisation  report in 2004, showed that cowpea production on worldwide basis was estimated at 3.7 million tonnes and provided livelihood to millions of relatively poor people in less developed countries of the tropics.

He noted that production of cowpea did not only provide income but had other uses such medicine, fodder, enhances soil fertility and controls soil erosion.

“The importance of cowpea in the economy of Ghana has been established and there is the need to increase the productivity,” Dr Atokple said.

He urged farmers to embrace bio-technology to increase cowpea production since conventional approach alone could not address the constraints its production.

Dr Atokple called for cooperation from all stakeholders for the success of bio-technology applications in Ghana.

OFAB Ghana Chapter, which is the sixth to be established in Africa, is a collaborative initiative between the African Agricultural Technology Foundation based in Kenya and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Ghana.

It seeks to promote and sustain a well-informed and interactive society capable of making informed decisions regarding research, development, regulation and commercialisation of agricultural biotechnology products.

Source: GNA