L. Chetty; C.D. Viljoen
GMO Testing Facility, University of the Free State
T
he opinion piece 'Biotech's
defining moments' in
Trends in Biotechnology
indicates a frustration
shared by many scientists.1 This discontent stems from a perception
that regulation of biotechnology in
the name of biosafety is futile and
research on biosafety excessive.1,2 At
the same time, advocates of biosafety are too easily branded as
anti-biotechnology, unscientific and
unnecessarily shortsighted. Important but contentious issues are
currently being debated. These include: 1) a perception that nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
stigmatize genetic modification
(GM), 2) the notion that risk assessments do not make a positive contribution, 3) a belief that distinguishing between GM and non-GM
products has no scientific basis, 4)
the opinion that studies of coexistence between GM and non-GM
crops are unnecessary, and that 5)
some regulatory systems are scientific and others not, 6) that the
Convention on Biological Diversity
(CBD) impedes genetic engineering
research as well as its promotion in
developing countries, and 7) that
mandatory labelling has no scientific basis.1 As a result, the biotech
community appears to be at loggerheads with itself so that, regrettably, the potential benefactors of
this technology in developing countries are the losers. It is therefore
necessary to depolarize the debate
so that African countries can make
informed decisions about introducing GM biotechnology.
Proponents of biotechnology believe that NGOs stigmatize and undermine public confidence in recombinant-DNA technology.1 Ironically, there are as many NGOs that
unscrupulously advocate that biotechnology is a 'silver bullet' to alleviate hunger in developing nations,
without any scientific basis. Some
of the unsubstantiated statements,
referring to GM technology, include: 'The biggest threats that hungry populations currently face are
restrictive policies stemming from
unwarranted public fears.'3; 'A
growing number of agricultural
researchers, food experts and policymakers are pointing to plant biotechnology as a critical tool that
can help increase food production
and alleviate hunger without depleting natural resource.'4; and 'As
Kenya faces yet another famine,
food experts say that irrigation and
adoption of genetically modified
(GM) crops could be the way out of
the perennial hunger problem.'5 Antagonists, equally, express negative
sentiments towards biotechnology,
such as 'Genetic engineering in its
present form cannot form part of
the solution; it is part of the problem.'6; 'African countries are being
targeted by the biotech industry