Uganda To Boost Food Security With GM Bananas

Uganda's government has put a big emphasis on genetically modified crops as a way to solve food security issues in the country. In fact, it has gone as far as creating the first laboratory in Africa to develop GM plants, bananas specifically. The scientists just outside the capital Kampala are busy finding solutions to increase the yield of one of the country's favourite food, bananas.

KAWANDA, UGANDA  (REUTERS) -  Scientists at the Kawanda research station in Kampala, Uganda are inching closer to finding improved varieties of genetically modified bananas.

The GM banana study begun in 2010 and so far government researchers say the progress has been encouraging.The process involves separating banana cells and introducing new genes meant to enhance vitamin A as well as iron levels in what they refer as the 'golden banana'.

According to the ministry of health, one in three Ugandan pre-school children suffers from a deficiency of vitamin A, which can cause blindness among other conditions.

The researchers say that blindness and anaemia in the country can be prevented with consumption of the 'golden banana' and at the same time help boost the country's food security.

"We have checked a whole range of banana varieties we grow in the community, we have checked to see how much vitamin A do we actually have in the varieties we have in the communities on the farms and the levels are quite low, they just range in the low range, so we know that what we have is actually low, and some of the varieties, some of the products that we have got, we did our proof of concept with the variety 'sukari ndizi' (sweet bananas) and we have been able to show that we can increase our vitamin A levels six times," said Priva Namanya, a researcher at the centre.

Bananas are available through all seasons but in recent years many farms have been attacked by a bacterial disease known as xanthomonas wilt, which infects the plant and contaminates soil, resulting in huge losses.

The GM banana plants are resistant to the bacteria and last longer on the farm as well as regularly produce more fruits.

Dr Geoffrey Arinaitwe, a lead researcher at Uganda's banana research programme says the bananas will not only increase output but also make the crop more affordable.

"We put pro vitamin A in Banana, it is done in a public research institute, once we have these bananas produced, they are basically for free, you give these bananas to farmers, they grow them over and over again, continuously eating these bananas and reducing the risk of Vitamin A deficiency, it's the cheapest approach, it is cheaper than buying these capsules of bio fortified foods," he said.

Although genetically modified (GM) crops might help boost output, some African countries have banned GM, fearing it could be harmful to humans and animals, hamper exports and hurt small farmers' income.

Anti-GM activists in the country are also keenly monitoring developments as public suspicions about the safety of bio-tech crops continue.

Morrisson Rwakakamba, an activist based in Kampala argues that GM crops should not be a priority for Uganda.

"For the European market we have got a market potential for organically produced products, organically produced foods of about sixty one billion united states dollars, in the US it is over 40 billion USD market for organically produced, Japan eleven billion USD, these are figures that have been published by the credible international trade center which is an auxiliary of the United Nations. It shows you that as countries like Uganda, the opportunity to market our products that are organic is immense but if we go into GMO where we are less competitive, and where consumer across the world shun GM, where are we going to sell the products?" he said.

Non-GMO bananas remain popular in the country but unknown to some urban Ugandans; they already consume GM maize for example in cereals imported fromSouth Africa.

Bananas are a staple in Uganda with green bananas or matoke largely consumed daily. Matoke is usually steamed or boiled and served with a sauce.

The GM bananas will only be released to farmers after 2019, but some residents are already concerned for their health.

"I like something which is pure, pure because it has grown as it was but things which are mixed with chemicals so that it can be like form of other; I don't like it because it causes effects to our bodies, but people can't realize that," said Ivan Mukasa, aKampala resident.

Peter Mutebi, another Kampala resident says that modified crops are generally not tasty compared to organic produce, citing tissue culture bananas previously introduced by the Kawanda research centre.

"Am not comfortable with those Matoke (GM bananas) those Matoke when you eat, it is tasteless, so the Matoke of today is watery but is sweet but the other one of Kawanda (tissue culture bananas) we call it Kawanda, it is hard when you are eating," he said.

Africa is under increasing pressure to grow more food as its population increases.

So far South Africa is in the lead, having expanded their GM crops of maize and soya beans. Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda have all conducted field trials.

Uganda plans to introduce its first GM crop in the market next year after a regulatory policy to guide production will have been enacted.