Genetic Literacy Project, a Science trumps ideology
group, has said that what Africa needs are genetically
modified organism (GMO) tools to overcome weeds, pests and drought, NaijaAgroNet
reports.
“One major
problem is that we don’t benefit from the latest technologies. From Africa, we
look at North and South America farmers with envy, wishing we could use the
same genetically modified organism (GMO) tools to overcome weeds, pests
and drought they have access to.
“We don’t need handouts from wealthy
countries. We just need the same opportunities to succeed. Africa’s current
drought has not yet touched Ghana, but it stretches the full length of our
continent. The United Nations predicts that more people in Ethiopia will need
food assistance next year than in war-torn Syria”, NaijaAgroNet
gathered.
The continent of Africa is suffering
its worst drought in a generation. The failure of the African skies to
pour nourishing rain onto the soil could cost millions of people their lives.
Drought can affect farmers anywhere.
The drought in California has devastated farmers in an area world famous for
its agricultural productivity. The United States, however, is a developed
nation — the drought has caused hardship but nobody expects it to lead to
large-scale malnutrition and starvation.
NaijaAgroNet
reports that things are different in Africa, with no simple solutions to its
agricultural dilemmas. Farmers lack
access to credit, land and labour. Many suffer from illiteracy, poor management
skills and bad or nonexistent infrastructure. The delivery of extension
services is skewed. And although agriculture is essential, it’s held in low
regard.
Cyriacus Nnaji/ED,OPs
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