By Maganjo Mwanyefa

There has been a lot of debate concerning the use of GMO in Kenya of late with scholars and scientists in many cases taking opposing camps.

With the world facing die hunger in the coming days, here is why the debate is important and why you need to differentiate facts from fiction.

THE GOOD

GMO” (genetically modified organism) is the common term consumers and popular media use to describe a plant, animal, or microorganism that has had its genetic material (DNA) changed using technology that generally involves the specific modification of DNA, including the transfer of specific DNA from one organism to another. Scientists often refer to this process as genetic engineering.

GMO” (genetically modified organism) is the common term consumers and popular media use to describe a plant, animal, or microorganism that has had its genetic material (DNA) changed using technology that generally involves the specific modification of DNA, including the transfer of specific DNA from one organism to another. Scientists often refer to this process as genetic engineering.

The Kenyan public has focused on GMO use in the food industry where GMO crops have had genes added to them for various reasons, such as improving their growth, nutritional content, sustainability, pest resistance, and ease of farming. For example, the Bt gene is commonly genetically engineered into crops like corn, cotton, and soybeans. This gene produces a protein that is toxic to several pests and insects, which gives the GMO plants a natural resistance.

Other GMO crops have been modified with genes that help them survive stressful conditions, such as droughts, and resist diseases like blights, resulting in a higher yield for farmers. Additionally, genetic modification can increase the nutritional value of foods.

It is with the advent of foreign funded and managed initiatives like AGRA (A Green Revolution in Africa) by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation founded in 2006 that GMO promotion has taken root in the African continent. Spanning thirteen countries, its goal was to 'tackle hunger in Africa by working to achieve a food secure and prosperous Africa through the promotion of rapid, sustainable agricultural growth based on smallholder farmers.’ AGRA promised to double the agricultural yields and incomes of 30 million small-scale food producer households by 2020.

THE BAD

It is with the advent of foreign funded and managed initiatives like AGRA (A Green Revolution in Africa) by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation founded in 2006 that GMO promotion has taken root in the African continent. Spanning thirteen countries, its goal was to 'tackle hunger in Africa by working to achieve a food secure and prosperous Africa through the promotion of rapid, sustainable agricultural growth based on smallholder farmers.’ AGRA promised to double the agricultural yields and incomes of 30 million small-scale food producer households by 2020.

This project created debt traps in which small scale farmers are required to take debt to buy expensive patented seeds during each planting season and were forbidden to use farm bred indigenous (own seeds) or mixed crops. For example, in Zambia and Tanzania, small-scale food producers were unable to repay the loans for fertilizer and hybrid seeds after the first harvest and most were forced to sell their assets or to incur even more debt — a classic colonial debt slavery model. AGRA projects also forced farmers to abandon traditional food crops for cash crops like maize in a monoculture for export markets. These restrictions greatly limited their freedom of choice on what they want to grow.

In a research article by F William Engdahl, instead of halving hunger as promised, the situation in the 13 focus countries has worsened since AGRA was launched. The number of people going hungry has increased by 30 per cent during the AGRA years… affecting 130 million people in the 13 AGRA focus countries.

Aside from the producers, the main concerns around GMOs that affect the consumer involve allergies, cancer, and environmental issues.

THE UGLY

To understand the ugly side of GMOs you have to ask yourself; Who is behind the push for GMOs in Kenya?

"He who controls the food, controls the people," Henry Kissinger.

US firms to jet into Kenya in hunt for GMO trade deals — www.standardmedia.co.ke

The US food firms are looking for new and expanded markets in Kenya for their crops. Kenya currently faces food insecurity and also wants to seal a trade deal with Americas.

One of the largest companies in the world pushing for GMO use in Kenya is Monstanto (now Bayer). A simple google search on the company will tell you a lot about the controversies it has been involved in over the years.

While companies such as Bayer will provide cheap GMO seeds, one of the downsides is that farmers will have to buy chemicals from them for example to prevent against pests. This essentially means the whole production process will be controlled by just a few players mostly multinationals.

Now, we all know that US does not have allies, it has interests. What happens if our interests do not align yet we get seeds from them? What if they decide to test particular gene modifications without our knowledge? (it won't be the first time. Read all about Monsanto)

Although Generically modified microorganisms (GMM) have use in the industrial, health, agricultural and bioremediation sectors, there is evidence of active research in weaponised biological agents through engineering of dangerous pathogens.

An example is the Russian allegation in the United Nations about Ukraine hosting 46 biolabs operated by a foreign country that is allowed to do research on weaponised biological agents for military purposes. This research in laboratory creates designer viruses and bacteria such as anthrax, dengue fever, swine fever among others which are engineered to target specific traits like race or ethic groups etc.

While GMOs will probably help increasing production, my belief is that we are not ripe yet for GMO commercialization. The government urgently needs to have public participation fora where experts and the public can contribute towards policy and regulation making to govern this industry before making such a decision as to allow GMO in Kenya. Failure to do this and fully opening the doors to this industry that is diverse in its applications, will have consequences that are irreversible and to the detriment of us all.

CONCLUSION