Decision-making and opportunities on

GMOs in Africa

Agricultural Economics and Food Policy in Developing Countries

2016-2017

Louis Raes


1. Introduction

In this paper, we will investigate the decision-making and opportunities on GMOs in developing
countries. The use and introduction of GMOs is there a current theme, especially because this new
way of agriculture can have a profound impact on those agriculture-based societies. GMOs can help
facing the continents’ challenges. There are a lot of stakeholders in the GMO debate what makes
objective research difficult.

The focus in this paper is on Sub-Saharan Africa (hereafter, Africa). This continent is suffering of a
high starvation and poverty. This last one grew to 30 percent in 2010. This suffering is highly linked
with the low efficiency in the agricultural sector (Okeno et al., 2013). An improvement in the
production gives a raise in the income in an agricultural-based-society (Okeno et al., 2013). A second
consequence that production can be more nutritious, which can result in a healthier diet. In this way
GMOs have the potential to give shape to Africa’s economic convergence. 20 years after the first
plantation in the US, only a few African countries authorized commercial release to GMO crops
(Praalberg, 2010). Looking at the evolution on global scale, Africa is manifest lagging behind in
GMO research. Especially compared to other developing countries as Mexico and China, who are on
actively basis experimenting with GMOs (Falkner et Al., 2009).

2. Discussion
2.1. Current legislation in EU

Europe pleads on her precautionary principle(PP) as a basis for decision-makers making laws
concerning biotechnology. According to the Rio Declaration principle 15: “In order to protect the
environment the precautionary approach shall be widely applied by States according to their
capabilities. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of scientific certainty shall
not be used as a reason for postponing cost effective measures to prevent environmental degradation”
(Myhr et al., 2002). The PP is also strongly entrenched in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. This
international voted protocol is the guiding principle in transboundary approach of GMOs. The purpose
of the protocol is to protect the biological diversity from possible damages GMOs could cause. “States
need to take preventive measures in situations considered as “threat of significant reduction or loss of
biological diversity”” (Myhr et al., 2002). The implementation of this protocol varies from country to
country but also lead nations to put emphasis on the potential risks of some GMOs without scientific
basis and so resulting in an unnecessary stop of the technology (Okeno et al., 2013). According to
Praalberg (2010) this approach is not a matter of risks but in paticular a protectionist approach from
Europe to protect her own agriculture.

2.2. GMO-opportunities for the South

60% or more of all Africans are still farmers so improvements in agriculture efficiency and
productivity are important in reducing poverty. GMOs can contribute to a better efficiency.
Only 4% of Africa’s cropland is irrigated. This in combination with irregular rainfall in certain areas
makes the call to drought resistant crops louder (Okeno et al., 2013; Praalberg, 2010). Drought
tolerant maize is one of the new GMO crop technologies which are also resistant to pests. An
improved corn crop is having a huge potential because in Africa, it is a necessary food for more than
300 million people (Praalberg, 2010). Many of them are self-producers. Though those farmers do not
raise their welfare because of their low productivity. Their low efficiency doesn’t allow them to sell on
the market (Praalberg, 2010). With the use of biotechnology, it is also possible to revalue cropland in
drought area (Dibden et al., 2013). Important to note, not all drought tolerant maize varieties will be
GMO (Praalberg, 2010). Pest Resistence is also a genetic modification with a great potential. For
instance, Bt-crops, who are already worldwide used because they require less chemicals. The by
Mosanto produced crop has proven its usefulness in reducing poverty en eployment generating in
India (Qaim, 2010). Bt cotton was the crop to be commercialized and is now the most used GM crop
in Africa and has furthermore a market share of 45% worldwide (Black et al., 2011; Qaim 2010).
Another GMO application is improving the nutritional value of the crop. Golden Rice(GR) is
genetically modified to contain b-carotene. GR is being offered as a solution to control vitamin A
deficiency(VAD) (Qaim, 2010). The latter is worldwide a serious problem which affects 140 million
pre-school children and 7 million pregnant women. Up to 3 million children of these decease annually.
In Africa alone are up to 30 million children affect by VAD (SanJoaquin et al., 2009). Above numbers
make clear that VAD is a serious problem. Scientific screening reveal that there is not a natural
cultivar with the quality of accumulating provitamin A. Given the absence in nature, it makes sense to
make use of GMOs to solve this problem (Beyer, 2010). The introduction of GR could prevent the
dead of 40.000 children every year VAD is most widespread in poverty households, where diets are
dominated by staple foods with relatively low nutritional value. The introduction of GR would
valorize the food chain and could reduce related health problems significantly, preventing 40.000 child
deaths every year (Qaim, 2010).

2.3. Legislation in the South

Africa gave a cautious approach concerning GMOs (Praalberg, 2010; Okeno 2013). This can be
attributed to several reasons as lack of political will, difficult acces tot patented technology, scientific
uncertainties and advocacy campaigns from NGOs (Okeno et al.,2013). Nowadays, there are already a
handfull African countries who chose for this innovation in agriculture. This due the increasing need
of a more secure food and awareness in the south.

The support of local governments appears to be very important for the introduction of this new
technology. For entrance in this new way of agriculture, there is a need of new laws who permit field
trials and the later sale of GMO crops (Falkner et al., 2009).
African countries who already embraced GMOs in their agriculture are South-Africa, Burkina Faso
and Egypt (Falkner et al., 2009). They have already GMOs growing on their fields. This turnaround is
supported by the local governments. The cumulative gain of using this technology alone in South-
Africa is $673.5 million for the Insect Resistant(IR) maize(2000-2009), IR cotton(1998-2009),
Herbicide Tolerant(HT) soybeans(2001-2009) & HT maize(2002-2009) (Okeno et al., 2013). For a
small country as Burkina Faso, the gain in farm income was $15.6 million over the two-year period
2008-2009 (Okeno et al., 2013). Kenya and Uganda are already working on field trials. Soon there
may also GM crops expected (Okeno et al. 2013).

2.4. Interaction with severe EU-policies

It is partly true that the negative tendency about GMOs in Europe maid the debate in Africa silenced
or less straightforward and resulted in a limited use in African agriculture (Adenle et al., 2013;
Praalberg, 2010; Okeno et al., 2013). There are several sources of external influence who delayed the
process. First African countries are dependent of Europe’s laws because they do a lot of trade with the
latter continent. The crop requirements need to be adjusted to the rules of the destination countries.
Africa can’t afford losing the European market, for instance the export to Europe is as six times more
extensive than export to the United States. Second, there were advocacy campaigns bij NGOs against
GMOs who spread not always reliable information (Praalberg, 2010). Furthermore, Africa is
historically speaking stronger connected to Europe then to the United States, which makes them also
lean more to European Policies (Praalberg, 2010). But it’s not the case that the African countries
simply follow the binary logic of the US-EU-opposites (Qaim, 2010). Trends of the last year show that
Africa is doing a catch up. The continent is slowly introducing policies who make the successful use
of GMOs possible (SanJoaquin et al., 2009).

2.5. Other countries

As already mentioned, a lot of other developing countries jumped to the next curve. South-Africa was
the first to commercialize GM white maize and is now the leading African country concerning GM
crops (Eicher et al., 2006; Falkner et al., 2009). Mexico is already field testing with Bt cotton since
1988. China was the first country selling the virus-resistant tobacco plant in commercial quantities
(Falkner et al., 2009).

3. Conclusion (Dibden, Gibbs en Cocklin 2013)

African developing countries are lagging behind in the GM technology. This is due several reasons
including the cautious approach from Europe. Pioneer countries as South-Africa benefit economically
from their choice to more efficient GM crops. The introducing of GMOs have a potential in facing
other problems in the continent as poverty and a more well-balanced diet. In this is the support of the
local government the first crucial step to commercial release. For the latter, Africa can take example to
other developing countries as China and South-Africa, who choose their own economically successful
choice in permitting GMOs.

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