As the entire world grapples with climate change and food insecurity, experts are rushing to find sustainable solutions. Biotechnology offers an indirect solution to increase agricultural productivity in crops and livestock, as well as to foster food self-sufficiency.
This technology is still not applied in Rwanda but is about to be integrated into the daily farming practice. Dr. Patrick Karangwa the Director General of Agricultural Modernization in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources said that the Rwandan government has prioritized the regulated use of GMOs as a means to further advance the country’s agriculture.
In an interview with Umunota.com, several youths involved in agriculture shared their knowledge and called for an increased orientation and application of GMOs. Chantal Kamashazi, the founder of Mind Valley Rwanda, noted that few farmers in Rwanda know about GMOs, but even those who do know do not understand them very well. GMOs can significantly help improve yield and ensure food security, so a sensitization campaign should be undertaken through the school and media.
Isaac Niyonizeye, the founder of Mahwi Yacu Ltd, also highlighted limited awareness and urged the government to increase outreach, especially in the northern province of Rwanda, to support agricultural development.
Dr. Karangwa explained that the researchers modify the genetic materials to solve health and yield problems. The first GMO product was developed in 1986 in the USA, to help diabetics with insulin deficiency. GMOs are widely used in medicine and processed foods, whereas many consumers are unaware that they consume products derived from GMOs. Concerns about the safety of GMO crops have been extensively studied through research, especially in countries such as the USA, and there have been no adverse effects on human health in over thirty years of consumption.
The technology does not in any way operate with such evildoings as the rumors suggest. The laws governing the use of GMOs exist in Rwanda, and few African countries have such a law. Trials on GMO cassava resistant to Kabore disease have been going on in RAB Rubona for 3-4 years and show a promising resistance against this disease. Trials are ongoing on GMO potatoes and maize for disease tolerance. The fears surrounding GMO-soil crop taste are unfounded; in fact, it might improve it.
These misconceptions come largely from ignorance and misinformation, not from actual farmer resistance. Farmers want higher yields and less labor, both of which are offered by GMOs. Global economic tensions are partly fueled by seed companies resisting widespread GMO acceptance to protect their markets. Environmentally, GMOs are not going to replace traditional methods of conserving seed. GMO technology is expected to contribute to Rwanda’s food self-sufficiency, as seen in countries before it, with enormous yield increments.
Rwanda is optimistic GMOs will benefit farmers and bolster national food security since this is in line with the country’s NST2 development plan which includes agricultural modernization, according to Dr. Karangwa. As Rwanda is still in the phase of experimentation and research on GMO adoption, there is an urgent need for public awareness on its benefits and safety. Such preparation would, when the technology scales up, help in adoption by farmers and other citizens in the fight against climate change and towards sustainable agriculture for Rwanda.