SA's GM production growing

2005-08-30 15:16

Parliament - Genetically Modified Organisms food production is growing worldwide despite vigorous anti-GMO campaigning, according to major agricultural seed and pesticide company Monsanto.

Addressing the National Assembly's science and technology committee on Tuesday, Monsanto Sub-Sahara Africa managing director Kobus Lindeque said despite the anti-GMO campaign to stop the production of GM crops to produce food, more than 18 million hectares of GM crops were grown in 17 countries by 8.25 million farmers on all continents last year.

South Africa planted 400 000 hectares of GM crops, and a large percentage was grown by smallholder emergent farmers.

GM crops had been escalating in South Africa every year since the first crops were planted six years ago.

GM food had gone throughout the South African food chain during the past six years and been consumed by 40 million people, without any ill-effects.

Thousands of job opportunities

Commercial farmers producing GM maize on dry land realised higher yields on average of 400 kg/ha. GM cotton farmers producing under irrigation also increased yields by 400 kg/ha. Pesticide application was substantially reduced.

Although South Africa was currently the only country on the African continent growing GM crops commercially, there was a strong outcry from African leaders in west Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and Ethiopia for the adoption of GM crops.

"President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya summed up the need very effectively when he announced that Kenya lost up to $75m annually in maize production due to the stalk borer and claimed that agricultural biotechnology could minimise these losses," Lindeque said.

Agricultural biotechnology was on the threshold of unprecedented new developments with immense economic advantages and vast employment opportunities.

Eight ethanol plants processing maize would be constructed at a cost of R2.4bn, reducing South Africa's dependence on imported fuel.

This would be one of the biggest economic injections to date into the agricultural industry. Thousands of job opportunities would be created, mainly in rural areas, Lindeque said.

- SAPA