Science should inform GMO debate

Debate on GMOs is always funny and tragic because most of the time it is guided by emotions, fear and ignorance. Let me highlight a few facts to debunk some misconceptions.

For centuries, man has improved food production by manipulating crops and animals through breeding. Modern biotechnology has only enabled man to know the structure of the genetic material where the information of any particular traits in an organism is stored. Scientists now know how to multiply these genes in vitro (in the test-tube). 

 The ability to sequence genes and genomes means that we know the genes that encode any useful attributes. With the knowledge of the responsible genes and the skills to cut, join, and multiply DNA, scientists can now move genes.

A bacterium called Escherichia coli (E. coli) has been modified with the human insulin gene and is now able to produce insulin cheaply. Bacteria have been manipulated for production of antibiotics. None of the critics in this debate ever mention that many drugs are produced by genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Modification of crops is not uniform. Each product should be looked at on its own merit. Herbicide-resistant maize has a gene that enables them to resist herbicide. This allows farmers to spray herbicides to kill weeds without harming the maize (which is also grass). Maize has also been modified with toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to resist maize stalk borer, corn borer, army worm, and other lepidopteron insects. There are also some maize varieties which have been modified for drought tolerance.

Pesticides, insecticides and herbicides have been widely used to kill pests, insects and weeds which hamper agricultural productivity. But pesticides kill all insects indiscriminately, including those needed for pollination. In addition, pesticides like DDT and chlorinated hydrocarbons were responsible for destruction of the ozone layer. Insect-resistant maize, which carried the Bt-toxin, is the answer to these challenges.

It is designed to kill only larvae of lepidopteron pests (army worm, maize stem borer and the like). Extensive studies have shown that they neither harm non-target insects (like bees), animals nor humans (who feed on the maize). The toxin contained in the maize is from the bacterium Bacillus Thuringiensis, which is a normal soil bacterium. It has even been isolated from faeces, meaning we at times ingest it.

The paranoia that these toxins that have been in use for over 20 years can harm humans or animals is baseless. The Bt-toxin is a simple protein molecule, which can easily be digested by enzymes capable of degrading even more complex proteins in the gut. The product of that degradation would simply be amino acids; building blocks of other proteins.

Billions have been spent trying to prove that the Bt-toxin is not harmful to man, animals or bees. Despite the wasted resources and time, , scepticism still abounds. I think some sections within society have decided, regardless of the irrefutable evidence available, they are simply not interested in accepting the basic truth.

The reality now is that long-term pesticides and chemicals’ misuse has harmed and continues to harm our environment. They have harmed the soils and killed pollinating insects, which are necessary for productivity of most of our cropping systems. The Bt-toxins, which are natural and originate from soil organisms, were designed as an answer to that. The Government, guided by basic scientific reality, can make up its mind to allow Kenyan farmers to embrace this now old technology for increased food security.

Quality seed varieties have always been bought or distributed by Governments. That is why we have Kenya Seed Company. Whereas the concern about germ plasm loss is genuine and that some of the indigenous crop varieties with useful traits could be lost, the answer lies in investing in research in biodiversity.

The Kenya Genetic Resources Institute (formerly KARI German Plasm) should be capacitated to serve as a repository for plant, animal and microbial germ plasm for the country. Kenyans should also stop encroaching on biodiversity hotspots to avoid genetic erosion. The Government needs to invest the promised 2 per cent of the GDP in research to support more infrastructure and human capacity development in emerging sciences.

It will in future cost less than US$200 to sequence a genome. Most of the information about organisms will be housed in genome databases. We need an army of our young minds trained in science to be able to understand and harness this information to drive a bio-economy.

Scientists and the National Biosafety Authority must lay the facts as they are. Insect Resistant Maize varieties fortified with Bt-toxin and drought tolerance genes are safe. Chemical pesticides are unsafe to us and the environment, and we should cut on their use. Let us stop the fear mongering which is not anchored in any knowledge.

Prof Hamadi Iddi Boga is a Microbiologist, Researcher and Principal, Taita Taveta University College