Ghanaian
Scientists and Journalists brainstorm on Biotech/GM Crops for sustainable
development
By
Mawutodzi Kodzo Abissath
 |
| A sample of genetically modified crops |
Do you remember this popular adage that:
When two elephants fight it is the grasses that bear the consequences?”
Well, journalists and scientists may not
be seen to be elephants physically but when they clash ideologically on issues
of livelihood, woe unto society. In recent times, there seems to be an
increasing agitation over genetically modified (GM) crops, especially food
crops globally. In Ghana, what can be characterised as “Anti-GM Movement”
activists are gaining consciousness and if care is not taken to come to some
consensus Ghana may be the loser to the detriment food security and
sustainability of the country.
On Thursday, 26 May 2016, Ghana’s Council
for Scientific and Industrial Research Plant Genetic Resources Research
Institute (CSRI-PGRRI) organised a workshop for Ghanaian Science and
Environmental Journalists at Bonsu in the Eastern Region of the country. The
occasion was also used to formally launch what was dubbed as Global Status of
Biotech/GM Crops.
Dr. Lawrence Aboagye, Director,
CSIR-PGRRI, delivered a thought-provoking address on “The threats to Food
Security in Ghana” and the role his Institute could play to save the situation.
Professor Walter Sandow Alhassan, Consultant and former Director of CSIR made a
presentation on 2015 Global Status of Biotech/GM Crops and launched the
event. Since the workshop was meant for
journalists, a Media Consultant Ama Kudom-Agyeman presented the media
perspectives, prospects and challenges of Biotech/GM Crops.
In this article the writer does not
intend to play to the gallery on the pros and cons of Biotech/GM Crops. Rather,
the workshop revealed that Ghanaian scientists are doing a magnificent job in
terms of the protection and preservation of some food crops and plants for
sustainable development of the country. Some of the things our scientists are
doing to ensure food security for the present and future generations is my
concern here.
Unfortunately, it seems to me the efforts
of our scientists are receiving little attention in terms of resource
allocation to enable them to do more for the nation. It was so disheartening to
learn that some of the rare plant discoveries and products created by Ghanaian
scientists are not registered for lack of funds for the nation to own the
copyright or patent of such products. Why? What is our priority as a nation? I suggest immediately that Ghana’s Parliament
must take a critical look at the laws of the land with particular reference to
copyright and patent laws. Some specific Fund like District Assemblies Fund
must be created for Scientific Discovery for the nation.
Business
Dr Aboagye of told journalist at the
workshop that Ghanaian scientists have made it their business to embark on what
is technically referred to as “Collection of germ plasm.” This is a big word for nothing. It simply
means the assembling of a wide range of plant species. It is normally
undertaken when field surveys show that a particular plant is being threatened
with extinction. For example, in Ghana those who know “brobe” a kind of big
cocoyam that grows very well in swamping areas. This delicious tuber, which can
be used for “mportorpomtor” seems to be vanishing among our food crops. But, now Ghanaian scientists have genetically
engineered this food crop so that farmers are going to get the seedling free of
charge to cultivate.
This is commendable as far as food
security is concerned. In fact, in Ghana in the past whenever yam and cocoyam are
out of season it was this “brobe” that prevent hunger and starvation until new
yam season emerged again. And our hardworking women engage in the frying of
this “brobe”. School children and adults
alike consumed it like no man’s business. Sometimes we Ghanaians take some of
our own inventions for granted.
Because I am a layman, I do not want to
pretend and use scientific and technical jargons in this article at all. For
example, sometimes when we hear words like “genetic” then we jump to conclusion
that it’s some chemicals that are pumped into food crops to kill us. Dr Aboagye says when scientists refer to
terms like “Plant genetic resources (PGR) they are talking about those plant
materials containing actual or potential values. It has nothing to do with
chemicals.
He explains that those are the basic raw
materials for “crop improvement today and for the future”. So, according to the
scientist, genetic resources of plants could be found in wild and weedy
relatives, landraces, of plant of pre-scientific agriculture, known as bred varieties,
which are no longer in use. So, the advanced varieties that are in current use
as well as genetic stocks are obtained through “mutation” or DNA. I am still
trying to break down the language for our Junior High School future scientists
to understand.
In mass communication, when the student
understands you then the Professor will understand you. But if the Professor
understands you and the student does not, then you have not communicated at
all. This is the difference between a scientist and a journalist. A journalist
does not necessarily have to be a scientist to write about scientific matters.
Work
And if scientists fail to communicate to the understanding
of ordinary man in the street, society will not appreciate the great work they
are doing. That is why politicians may allocate some funds for other things
while vital research materials are gathering dusts to the detriment of society.
Still talking about germ plasm as
explained above, Ghanaian scientists do no only restrict themselves to local
environs. They chase other valuable plants particularly to places of origin
where broader diversity is envisioned. For example, if they want to introduce
materials from other countries to augment their local genetic stock, they have
to go there physically.
And in collecting of this vital foreign
germ plasm, the have to use what is technically referred as “passport data”
which is the basic information on the plants concerned. This can be in the area
of agronomy, ecology or name it. Sometimes, they have to adopt local name usage
of this plants as well as indigenous knowledge for documentation purposes.
This means that Ghanaian scientists do not
underrate or look down upon our own traditional plants. That is why in Ghana
there are clinics and hospitals like Mampong
Herbal Research Center.
In fact the Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology is training doctors who specialise in the application of
traditional medicine. So, apart from food crops like cassava, yams and others,
to ensure food security, Ghanaians scientists are also researching, documenting
cash crops such as cocoa, sheanuts as well as genetically engineering medicinal
plants for sustainable development of our beloved country.
It is therefore, suggested that the
nation must make available to Ghanaian scientists all the necessary financial
and logistic resources to enable them to contribute to the economic prosperity
of our motherland Ghana.
The author works with Information Services Department (ISD) in Accra abissath@gmail.com
