Uganda to introduce genetically engineered banana

original-gmwatch

Uganda to introduce genetically engineered banana
Date: Feb 21, 2007 6:11 AM

GM WATCH daily

Geoffrey Arinatwe, the Ugandan scientist who developed the GM banana featured in
the article below, is part of a group of scientists based in Belgium who've
been responsible for a whole series of attempts to massively hype GM bananas.

Arinatwe is quoted for example in a San Francisco Chronicle article, "Without
a genetic fix, the banana may be History".
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/04/05/BUGF75VU791.DTL

These "only GM can save the banana" stories get expertly debunked each
time they arise. GM is not the only way to conserve bananas or make them disease
resistant quite apart from the fact that there's no evidence consumers want
them – see:

UN FOOD AGENCY SAYS BANANAS NOT THREATENED
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3235
Bananas 'can't disappear by 2013'
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3235
Bananas about GM
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3235
'Yes, we don't want GM bananas'
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3235

In addition, James Smith, an African Studies specialist at the University of Edinburgh
has produced telling evidence as to how biotech banana projects can be hyped to
a truly spectacular degree.
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=5823

Part of the pattern that can occur involves biotech being presented as an almost
miraculous solution to what is presented as a major and otherwise intractable problem.
Smith notes that this type of crisis "narrative prevails amongst a whole range
of literature supporting biotechnological development in Africa."
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=5823

The project in neighbouring Kenya that Smith examined made misleading claims about
not only the level of success delivered by biotech bananas but also the extent to
which bananas contributed to food security, nutritional intake, and household incomes.
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=5823

In view of that, it would only be wise to treat the claims made in this latest report
with care until it's clear what kind of data is available to support them.
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Uganda to introduce genetically engineered banana
Esther Nakkazi, Special Correspondent Nairobi
The East African (Nairobi, Kenya)
http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/News/News19020711.htm


Uganda could soon introduce genetically modified bananas after a successful genetically
engineered sweet banana variety proved resistant to pests and diseases.

The technology will improve the quality of banana, an important food and cash crop
whose production has declined due to diseases, especially the banana wilt disease.

Genetically engineered bananas will also contribute to food security and improve
household incomes. Almost 24.5 per cent of Ugandan household's income is contributed
by bananas. Some 70 per cent of farmers grow them as a staple food as well as for
brewing local liquor.

Scientists estimate that if the technology is applied to other varieties, the country
could save up to $8 billion it is said to have earmarked in the next five years
for fighting the banana bacterial wilt disease.

The disease is currently ravaging the country and spreading to Rwanda, the Democratic
Republic of Congo and Tanzania.

The genetically engineered variety was developed by Geoffrey Arinaitwe, a Ugandan
scientist based in Belgium who has now applied to the Uganda National Council for
Science and Technology (UNCST) for a permit to import it to Uganda.

The Council has already cleared it for field testing after importation from Belgium.

"This innovation will pave the way for research on other varieties to make
them resistant to diseases", said Arthur Makara, the biosafety desk officer
at the Council, the country's leading institution for science, technology and
innovation development.

The tested banana type will be brought to the Kawanda Research Institute (Kari),
which has just completed construction of a greenhouse to field test bananas for
resistance to bacterial wilt and black sigatoka fungal disease, said Andrew Kiggundu,
a plant biotechnologist at Kari.

The bacterial wilt is highly destructive, wiping out at least 90 per cent of the
fruit on the trees it affects. When it affects a tree, it becomes poisonous to both
humans and animals.

Scientists say the commonest way the disease spreads is through bees, which pick
up pollen from one banana and transport it to another.

Mr Kiggundu said more crops have been earmarked for testing before the end of this
year at Namulonge Research Institute and the National Agricultural Research Organisation
(Naro).

Other crops that are slated for field testing at Kari are genetically modified cassava,
which is resistant to the mosaic virus, sweet potatoes rich in Vitamin A content
and BT cotton.

"The varieties we have developed have increased resistance to pests, are nutritive
and fast growing," said Mr Kiggundu.

But scientists have warned that although the genetically engineered crops are being
developed, they may not reach farmers any time soon as the country has no legal
framework to enable their distribution.

"We have new technology but we are being left behind because there is no policy
in place," said Dr Charles Mugoya of the Association for Strengthening Agricultural
Research in Eastern and Central Africa (Asereca).

"The GMOs will increase farm incomes and minimise environmental impact as there
is pesticide reduction. We need technology to drive our food production," said
Dr Mugoya during the launch of the 2006 Global Status of Commercialised Biotech
report in Kampala.

The government is in the process of putting in place an enabling law to allow the
distribution of the GMO bananas.

The National Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy, which will guide the
activities and distribution of GMO resources, is awaiting approval by parliament.

"We in parliament will do everything possible to ensure that the biotechnology
policy is approved and biosafety bill enacted into law," said John Arimpa,
vice chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources.

Uganda has three banana varieties - sweet bananas, plantain and the East African
highland bananas (matooke), which are only grown and consumed in East Africa.
~snip~
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complete article including numerous links to other sources and information here

:puke:

and will be a thing of the past. However, there are other varieties of banana out there. You can occasionally find them in large health food supermarkets with large organic produce departments. All the varieties have different appearances, sizes, and different colored flesh. I love the pink fingerling bananas about the best, I think.

In other words, there will still be bananas, but they won't be the big yellow jobs suitable for perversion.

As for genetic engineering, what we think of as the commercial banana has already been selectively bred for color, size, prolific yield, ease of harvest and ease of long distance transport. If they manage to delay what looks inevitable now, the loss of that variety, a lot of people will be very pleased. The rest of us will have all the other bananas.

world? The impossibilities are tremendous.

All those bodies and peels all over the place, slipping and sliding. It's a chiropractors dream! I tell ya!!