Africa needs stitched genes for food security
Biotechnology and GMOs will be vital for a continent facing climate change, a fast growing population and the loss of arable land, writes David Levin
The magic trick of putting a rabbit into a hat, making it disappear and pulling out 10 doves is a bit like what genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are to farming. Because GMOs are also magical. They’re transformative. And they work. Africa suffers from cataclysmic food shortages and many countries have struggled through lost harvests due to drought, man-made land degradation and declining soil fertility, among other things. Coupled with surging population growth, that’s a bad combination, especially as the number of Africans is expected to double to 2.4-billion by 2050. According to the UN, more than 230-million Africans, about a quarter of the continent’s population, face hunger and malnutrition. Importing food to help fill the gap is costly. With government coffers across the continent severely constrained, largely due to the commodity slump, Africa will need to grow more of its own food. GMOs are a more precise method of plant breeding. They allow scientists to take a desirabl...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.