Grains Council Team Assesses South-African Biotech
USGC Biotech Advisory Team visits demonstration plots.
Frank Holdmeyer
Published: Apr 10, 2005
A team of U.S. farmers and representatives of the U.S. Grains Council on Friday wrapped up a tour of biotech demonstration plots in South Africa to assess the success of six Bt corn demonstration plots the Council helped fund.
The U.S. Grains Council is partnering with AfricaBio, an independent, non-profit biotechnology stakeholders association who's key role is to provide accurate information and create awareness on biotechnology in South Africa and the region. The association is made up of a wide range of stakeholders, including consumers, retailers, manufacturers, biotechnology companies, industry associations, farmers and farm organizations, students, scientists and researchers.
The adoption and use of biotech products such as Bt corn is critical to South Africa, a country of 44 million people. More than 20 million people live in rural areas, many of them on subsistence farming. Corn (maize) is the major food crop.
Since stalk borer causes serious yield reduction in corn production in South Africa, Bt corn offers great potential. Controlling the pest will enable subsistence and emerging farmers to boost yields above that needed to feed themselves. It will also provide the opportunity for these farmers to expand and become commercial farmers.
At issue also is the fact that since the end of Apartheid the South African government has been working to empower black farmers. The major effort involves transferring land from white farmers and the government to black farmers who were displaced by Apartheid.
Using genetically modified crops is absolutely necessary to help South African farmers because they can not afford chemical or even mechanical weed and insect control.
South African farmer Sabina Khoza, left, says, "I am very proud to be associated with biotechnology. To me corn is money. Her employee, Mike, says the Bt corn stalks average at least one more ear on the stalk than the non-Bt corn."
Thus far the projects sponsored by AfricaBio and the U.S. Grains Council have been very successful in demonstrating the benefits of biotech corn. A growing number of farmers and others are being informed and educated of the benefits of Bt corn.
South Africa is biotech friendly and safety regulations are in place. However, there is a constant battle with anti-GMO groups who don't want to see any of it being used. These anti-groups often use false or misleading information to try to prevent farmers from adopting the technology.
That is perhaps the biggest challenge facing AfricaBio and the U.S. Grains Council.
Corn promotion boards from three states — Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas — helped fund these projects in South Africa through the U.S. Grains Council.
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