News
GMOs :
Zambia to
Boost Maize Yields
Zambia is among 12 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa expected to bene t from the newly launched Stress Tolerant Maize for Africa ( STMA ) project that will develop improved maize varieties with resistance and tolerance to drought and diseases affecting maize production . �e varieties have been launched to help the region boost food security .
�e STMA project introduced by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre ( CIMMYT ) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture ( IITA ), will help increase maize productivity by about 30 to 50 percent and provide 5.5 million smallholder farmers with improved maize varieties .
According to the ProAgri latest report , other bene ciary countries are Benin , Ghana , Ethiopia , Kenya , Malawi , Mali , Nigeria , Uganda , South Africa , Tanzania , and Zimbabwe . STMA project leader , Tsedeke Abate , said the four-year project will improve maize production for over ve million smallholder farmer households by the end of 2019 in the targeted bene ciary countries .
'' STMA will use modern breeding technologies that will confer the desired resistance to pest and diseases , and tolerant climate stresses like drought and heat to bene t farmers within their socio-economic capabilities , that o�en dictate their access to important farm inputs such as fertilizer and improved seed ,'' he said .
�e project will apply conventional breeding techniques to develop maize varieties and hybrids capable of resisting environmental shocks , including drought , low soil fertility , heat , pests and disease .
'' �e project also seeks to increase commercialisation of improved multiple stress-tolerant maize varities with gender-preferred traits ,'' he elaborated . STMA will also link up national and regional initiatives to develop strategies that bridge the yield gap and dramatically increase maize production at smallholder farm level .
Continued collaboration with partners will enhance sustainable maize research and development systems in target countries through sustained variety release deployment and adoption which has been insufficient in many sub-Saharan countries , Mr . Abate added .
STMA is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID ).
Three agricultural crops under trial in Nigeria
�e director-general said the trials commenced in 2009 and 2013 respectively at the Institute of Agricultural Research , Zaria , Kaduna State and National Cereals Research Institute , Badeggi , Niger State .
�ree genetically modi ed agricultural crops are currently under con ned eld trials in Nigeria , Dr . Rufus Ebegba , the Director-General , National Bio-safety Management Agency , has said . Ebegba disclosed this when he featured at a News Agency of Nigeria Forum in Abuja on �ursday . He said that the crops are cowpea , sorghum and rice .
�e director-general said the trials commenced in 2009 and 2013 respectively at the Institute of Agricultural Research , Zaria , Kaduna State and National Cereals Research Institute , Badeggi , Niger State . Ebegba said : “ Presently we have about three crops on con ned eld trails but before now , we have six , some of them have been completed .
“ Presently , we have the insect resistant beans known as cowpea at the Institute of Agricultural Research Zaria . “ We also have in Zaria , Africa Bio-forti ed Sorghum modi ed in a way that it can now produce iron , zinc and protein and also has the ability to produce vitamin A . �e essence is to increase the nutritional content . “ With the result we are getting from that so far , the beans now has the ability to produce up to four times its original productivity .
“ �e safety data is also being collected . Before that beans will be allowed , it will go through nutritional analysis to ensure that there are no toxins .
“ �e rice has been genetically modi ed to use less nitrogen fertilizer and less water .” According to him , when this is successful , it will reduce the cost of fertilizer that is being applied to the farm as well as reduce the monies
Ebegba assured Nigerians that consumption of GMO foods would be a choice , as they would be properly labelled . He said : “ Once we are able to con rm that the modi cation is efficacious and safety is ascertained , we have no reason not to advise Nigerians , those who are interested to consume it . “ Genetic engineering is not meant to turn all crops to GMO . It is the ones that the speci c problems cannot be solved through the conventional method that genetic engineering will be applied .”
By Popoola Babalola On R & D Health
www . farmersreviewafrica . com FARMERS [ 7 ]
November - December 2016
REVIEW AFRICA