Bio technology and food security

Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

Walter S. Alhassan, PhD FARA

UNN NSUKKA UNESCO INT CENTRE FOR BIOTECH MEETING

Feb 7 2013

BIOTECHNOLOGY AND FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICA


ANCIENT PROVERB

‘He who has bread may have troubles; He who lacks it has only one’


INTRODUCTION

West Africa is a food insecure region. The FAO (2012) estimates that 1 in 4 of the world’s 840 million malnourished live in West Africa. Globally, more than 1 billion people are malnourished. Rising population and low agricultural productivity worsen the food situation.


GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX

GHI= number undernourished as per cent of total population + proportion chldn aged 5 and below underweight + mortality in chldn 5 and below.


INTRODUCTION

The 2012 Global Hunger Index (GHI) map shows:• Nearly all of sub-Sahara Africa is

in the “serious” hunger classification.

• Exceptions are South Africa, Gabon, Mauritius and Ghana.


INTRODUCTION

• For West Africa, Niger and Sierra Leone classified as “alarming”.

• Ghana is the only country the sub-region classified as “Moderate” and meeting the MDG 1

• Most of the increase in food crop production has been attributed more to areal expansion of farmlands than increased productivity per unit area.

2/22/2013 72/22/2013 7Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa

2012 GLOBAL HUNGER INDEXSource 50 JAHRE welt hunger hilfe,: IFPRI CONCERN worldwide (2012)


INTRODUCTION

Solution lies in:• The application of known

technologies in agriculture.• Coupled with the introduction of

modern biotechnology on a need basis.


INTRODUCTION

• Modern biotech covers a range of tools:Tissue cultureDNA characterisation of germplasm, Marker assisted selection (use of DNA

fragments as markers for the molecular identification of desirable genes)

In 2012 a major breakthrough in Marker Assisted Breeding was reported in

Tanzania for cassava.


INTRODUCTION

Cassava varieties resistant to the ACMV and Cassava Brown Streak Disease

both devastating of cassava in East Africa were developed using MAS. Was a collaborative research effort: ARI, Tanz, CIAT, NRCRI, IITA, Donald Danforth and GCP.

Genetic transformation (genetic engineering or genetic modification). Most potent of the biotechnology tools. Use governed by the application of legislative frameworks that guarantee acceptable levels of safety.


GM RECENT BIOETHICS ANALYSIS

Study (Casquier and Otiz, 2012) considered the social, cultural, environmental and moral impacts of the use of modern biotechnology in the transgenic improvement of crops, concluded that:• “in order to feed so many people without

destroying the environment in this century it is necessary to have more production using agro-biotechnology,

• In spite of all the objections it will contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and the preservation of the environment.”


WHEN CAN GM BE APPLIED?

• Intractable pests and diseases,• Declining soil fertility, • Climate change phenomena of drought and

flooding, • Nutrient deficiencies • Danger of agro-chemical residues in food or

water resources. • Sustainable intensification of agriculture.


SOME GM APPLICATION CHALLENGES IN AFRICA

• The existence of enabling legislation for GM crops,

• Infrastructural support services, • Agro-input supply• Seed legislation• Markets and a core of well-trained and

motivated scientists and informed farmers


Burkina Faso GM Crop Status

• Cotton is biggest export crop. Africa’s leader. • In 2012-2013 57.5% increase in cotton

reported due to GM application. 400,000 tons in 2011 to 630,000 tons in 2012.

• About 250,000 of the 350,000 producers are small scale farmers.

• Area under Bt cottong is 250,000 ha. Bollgard II (Monsanto) used. Insect damage to cotton is 50-70%. Pyrethroids used from 1998 but there is built up resistance now. Increase number of sprays from 4-5 to 6-8.


Fig 2. insect Pests of Cotton in Burkina Faso


Burkina Faso GM crop Status

• Conventional cotton : increased resistance from pyrethroids. More spraying (6-8).

• Bt cotton future management : refugia zones.

Relates to BIOTECHNOLOGY STEWARDSHIP.

Currently 15m wide refugia advocated.

• Reduces chance of insect resistance to Bt.



Bt Cowpea

• Burkina Faso is the third largest cowpea producer in Africa. Nigeria is the largest. producer. Produced 537,000 tons in 2008. Current yield is 600kg/ha.

• Major pests : Aphis, thrips and maruca. Maruca pod borer is the most devastating.



Bt cowpea• Burkina Faso is one of 3 countries in

Africa undertaking confined field trials on Bt cowpea.

• Cowpea is genetically engineered to control the cowpea pod borer (Maruca).



Africa Biofortified Sorghum (ABS)

• Nutrient enhanced sorghum (hi carotene, iron and lysine) on test as at 2011.

• Gene flow studies. • Burkina Faso is part of the ABS consortium

involving Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria. Most of the consortium work has been coordinated by Africa Harvest.


Nigeria GM crop Status

• National institutions actively engaged in GM biotechnology research at the CFT level are the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria and the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike.

• GM crops under study at the field trial level are cassava, cowpea and sorghum



Biofortified Cassava (BC+)• This is GM cassava enriched in carotene and

iron.• It has been selected for high resistance to

African Cassava Mosaic Virus.• Material on study was developed by the

Danforth Plant Science Centre, St Louis, Mo, USA. Original material tested is to be replaced by a locally developed cultivar preferred by farmers.



• TME 7 is a preferred cassava variety to the one earlier tested. It is thus a candidate for transformation for fortification in micro-nutrients.

• Mock confined field trials, started March 2012 on this variety to prepare for the GM event. Future?? Danforth challenge? Stewardship?

• Data on agronomic characteristics, pests and diseases are being collected at the mock trial


TME 7 BC+ Candidate crop T


Cowpea Production, Nigeria

• World’s largest producer.• 2.2 m tons grain produced• 7 m ha cultivated• Av yield is 350 kg/ha• Grown extensively in the

Savannas/Derived Savannas.


Cowpea Production, Nigeria

Bt Cowpea • Trials have been on-going under CFT for 3

years now. • Promising lines have been identified and

have been introgressed into preferred local lines and being evaluated. At least 2 more years’ study pending food safety and mulit-locational trials.

• Trials are at the IAR of the Ahmadu Bello University Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria.


Bt Cowpea Pod. IAR, Samaru, Nigeria


Ghana GM Pipeline Products

Permits have been granted for the following CFTs:GM Insect (Maruca) Resistant Cowpea

(CSIR-SARI)Nitrogen and Water Use Efficient and Salt

Tolerant Rice (CSIR-CRI)GM High Protein Sweet Potato (CSIR-CRI)


Other High Potential GM Crops, Ghana

Uncertain timeframe• ACMV cassava. Suggest linkages: IITA, GCP..• Black Sigatoka banana and plantain. Suggest

link with NARO, Uganda.• Lethal Yellowing Disease Resistant Coconut

(Central and Western Regions of Ghana). French assistance. Molecular non-GM approaches.

• Diamond Back Moth (Plutela) resistant cabbage. External GM solution available.


ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

• Globally has received much less attention than crop biotechnology.

• Active areas include breed characterisation using molecular tools. Senegal, Ghana, etc.

• Recombinant vaccine production. CBPP vaccine is candidate for recombinant DNA. Mali interest.

• Diagnostics• Vaccine and diagnostics production are

costly. Need public-private partnership.


GM PROSPECTS: WEST AFRICA

• For Ghana: at least 3 GM crops will be tested under CFTs starting 2012.

• For Ghana, Bt cotton will be introduced without the need for a CFT. Multi-locational trials on farmer’s fields will suffice.

• Nigeria will release Bt cowpea and nutrient enhanced cassava in a 3-5 year timeframe.

• Burkina Faso, Ghana and Nigeria are working on the same Bt cowpea event. All countries might release Bt cowpea over the 3-5 year timeframe.


GM PROSPECTS: WEST AFRICA

• The release of GM crops into the food chain by local public sector research institutes might create a bandwagon effect in the uptake of GM technologies in West Africa.

• Biotechnology stewardship training will assume great significance in the handling of GM crops including by small holder farmers.

• Such stewardship training has been introduced to Burkina Faso, Ghana and Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya and Malawi by the FARA SABIMA Project.


CHALLENGES/WAY FORWARD

• Need to accelerate biosafety legislation. Legislation should not be restrictive.

• Enabling environment for agriculture: seed and other input supply, infrastructure support services, market, etc.

• Scientific human resource development in the critical areas: plant breeding, animal breeding, crop protection, veterinary medicine, fermentation, molecular biology and biosafety.

• Increased efforts in animal biotechnology.


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

• Dr. Hamidou Traore, INERA, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

• Dr. Chiedozie Egesi, NRCRI, Umudike, Nigeria.

• Dr. Marian Dorcas Quain- CSIR-CRI, Kumasi, Ghana.

• Prof. Mohammad Ishiyaku-IAR, Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria.


Thank you

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Bio technology and food security

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