What About Africa Growing Gm Crops For The Biofuel Industry?
- Date: 2007-05-11 - Word Count: 387
Share This!
Sudan was in the news two weeks ago after it barred entry into its territory sorghum from the World Food Program (WFP) claiming it was genetically engineered. The sorghum was meant for hungry Sudanese in the southern part of the country.
Khartoum only made an about-turn after WFP proved, beyond reasonable doubts, that the sorghum - had been procured from the U.S. - was not genetically engineered. I recall Caroline Hurford, a spokesperson for the WFP reiterating that genetically engineered sorghum didn't even exist.
This week, however, genetically engineered sorghum did emerge. This is good news for agriculture all over the world, and another testimony of advances in plant biotechnology. Texas A & M scientists have developed sorghum genetically engineered to withstand drought. They say this GM crop yields high, is economical to grow, compared with corn. Led by Bill Rooney, the scientists argue that the new sorghum variety can be a perfect substitute for corn, in meeting the needs of the biofuel industry.
"The cellulose from one version of the sorghum and sugar from another version can similarly be processed for fuel," say the scientists. It's expected that this sorghum will be ready for commercialization in three years. Were this project to succeed, American farmers, again, will be laughing all the way to the bank. Gradually, they will wean their country from foreign oil.
In years to come, I see the U.S. becoming a major exporter of biofuel to many countries including those in Africa, which prompts me to ask, "Are we [Africans], again, going to depend on the U.S. for energy?"
We have shunned genetically modified crops, which the U.S. is now exploiting to generate biofuel, on the pretext that multinational biotech companies want to rip us off. We in Africa are yet to appreciate the potential benefits of genetic engineering. It will be sad for Africa to await "another rip-off" from U.S.-based multinational biofuel companies.
Anti-biotechnology activists have, wrongly, made African farmers believe that genetically modified food pose risks to their health. With the biofuel industry showing signs of explosive growth, African farmers can seize the opportunity and grow genetically engineered crops, such as corn and sorghum, exclusively for it.
Some will argue that a continent that can hardly feed itself can ill afford surplus food for the biofuel industry. But with a well-thought out embracement of modern biotech agriculture, this is practically possible.
Khartoum only made an about-turn after WFP proved, beyond reasonable doubts, that the sorghum - had been procured from the U.S. - was not genetically engineered. I recall Caroline Hurford, a spokesperson for the WFP reiterating that genetically engineered sorghum didn't even exist.
This week, however, genetically engineered sorghum did emerge. This is good news for agriculture all over the world, and another testimony of advances in plant biotechnology. Texas A & M scientists have developed sorghum genetically engineered to withstand drought. They say this GM crop yields high, is economical to grow, compared with corn. Led by Bill Rooney, the scientists argue that the new sorghum variety can be a perfect substitute for corn, in meeting the needs of the biofuel industry.
"The cellulose from one version of the sorghum and sugar from another version can similarly be processed for fuel," say the scientists. It's expected that this sorghum will be ready for commercialization in three years. Were this project to succeed, American farmers, again, will be laughing all the way to the bank. Gradually, they will wean their country from foreign oil.
In years to come, I see the U.S. becoming a major exporter of biofuel to many countries including those in Africa, which prompts me to ask, "Are we [Africans], again, going to depend on the U.S. for energy?"
We have shunned genetically modified crops, which the U.S. is now exploiting to generate biofuel, on the pretext that multinational biotech companies want to rip us off. We in Africa are yet to appreciate the potential benefits of genetic engineering. It will be sad for Africa to await "another rip-off" from U.S.-based multinational biofuel companies.
Anti-biotechnology activists have, wrongly, made African farmers believe that genetically modified food pose risks to their health. With the biofuel industry showing signs of explosive growth, African farmers can seize the opportunity and grow genetically engineered crops, such as corn and sorghum, exclusively for it.
Some will argue that a continent that can hardly feed itself can ill afford surplus food for the biofuel industry. But with a well-thought out embracement of modern biotech agriculture, this is practically possible.
Related Tags: biofuel, agriculture, gmos
The writer is a specialist in agricultural biotechnology communication and authors GMO Africa Blog. On the net at www.gmoafrica.org. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Radio Controllers - Knowing The Basics
Radio controlled models are different in design and structure, but at their core are the same radio - The Fourth Decade Of Modern Stereology 1991-2001
Modern stereology introduced an entirely new set of rules for quantification of biological objects i - Science & Technology Articles - How to buy Wireless IP security cameras
Due to the increasing need for surveillance devices, camera's production become more increasingly. I - Science & Technology Articles - Sony Ericsson Hottest Phones
One of the best phones created by Sony Ericsson, is the G502 phone. Sony has established that phones - Entertainment Articles - It's What Is Behind The Scenes That Make Your Movie Viewing Pleasurable
Is there anything that can make or break your entertainment system at home and is something that no - Current Affairs Articles - 2012 Facts
Making sense How can we make sense of this? Each different theory or combination of theories will m - Science & Technology Articles - High-density PCIe Telephony Cards from Telesoft Technologies
With well over two decades of experience in the networking and media fields, Telesoft Technologies i - Science & Technology Articles - IVR Servers from Telesoft Technologies
The interactive voice response server (IVR Server) solution is perhaps one of the most important rec - Education Articles - Old Teachers Learning New Technological Tricks
As technology and teaching methods have progressed, many classrooms have found themselves brighten - Business Articles - A Guide To Streamlining Office Technology
Any modern office will likely have the following core contents: desks, chairs, networked computers
Most viewed articles in this category:
- The Bat in Bible and Quran
One of the inherited doctrines of mankind is that the Quran is quoted or borrowed from the Bible.The - The Rabbit in Bible and Quran
The Bible says that the Rabbit is a ruminant animal while the sciences say that the Rabbit is not a - The Semen in Bible and Quran
One of the expanded dogmas of mankind is that the Quran is quoted or borrowed from the Bible. This c - The Iron in Bible and Quran
Before dealing with the topic of the Iron in Quran versus Bible versus sciences, it is essential to - More and More, Scientists Recognize That Foods Can Heal
Folk remedies that used to be written off as old wives' tales are now being acknowledged by scientis - Streamlining the Management of Print Spooler Output in an Oracle Applications Environment
The customer associated with this case study is a large, multi-national manufacturer of product - Manapol: Why Should I Use It?
Manapol® Why Should I Use It? "Upon entry to the cells, mannans can activate the ma - The Sleep in Bible and Quran
Before dealing with the topic of the Fly in Quran versus Bible versus sciences, it is essential to r - What Types of Sharks Lived Millions of Years Ago?
The first cartilaginous sharks appeared 370 millions years ago. Their size, their appearance and the - How are Cinematography and Memorabilia Related to Sharks?
Sharks have influenced both cinematography and its memorabilia through the years. From Jaws the movi
