Prof. Florence Wambugu, a renowned agricultural biotechnologist and the founder of Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International, is at present entangled in a row with the South African govt over her strategy to established up a multimillion dollar investigation laboratory and greenhouses to create genetically modified sorghum.
Prof. Wambugu has received a large grant – US$415 million – from Bill and Melinda Gates Basis, to create genetically modified crops, which have proved important in assuaging foods insecurity. Her choice of South Africa stems from the fact that it is the only African country with Biosafety rules.
South Africa’s early enactment of biosafety rules has produced it the desired vacation spot for biotechnology buyers. To now hear a region which is obtained global popularity for its welcoming insurance policies in the direction of biotechnology is trying to block an African scientist from advancing a biotechnology lead to is appalling.
In justifying its decision to suspend Prof. Wambugu’s project, South Africa’s agricultural regulatory companies have claimed that the genetically modified sorghum can contaminate kinds indigenous to Africa. This appears like a pedestrian argument and it really is tantamount to putting the cart before the horse.
For the document, Prof. Wambugu has not but shipped genetically modified sorghum to Africa. All what she would like to do is to set up a laboratory to carry out study on the exact same. All what Prof. Wambugu at the moment desires is to build the infrastructure for genetically modified sorghum investigation. This sort of can in no way interfere with the so called indigenous African sorghum varieties.
Prof. Wambugu will, at one phase, conduct subject trials of her genetically modified sorghum. Then is the proper time for the South African federal government to be concerned about “contamination.”
It ought to not be lost on any person that South Africa has nicely-entrenched genetically modified organisms (Gmos) regulatory legal guidelines. So, it truly is not likely that the new genetically modified sorghum will be developed exterior this kind of legal guidelines.
Genetically modified streptavidin are not alien to South Africa. It truly is not the very first time a new genetically modified crop is being released into South Africa. The regulations that governed the introduction of genetically modified corn and cotton, at the moment becoming commercially grown in South Africa must be used to Prof. Wambugu’s genetically modified sorghum.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Basis, by investing in agricultural biotechnology analysis, is sending a stark information to African countries that it truly is dedicated to finding a permanent answer to Africa’s persistent meals problems. The ideal way to reciprocate this generous gesture is for African governments to permit scientists like Prof. Wambugu to do their perform unimpeded.
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