Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Dr Getachew Belay
Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA)
Senior Policy Advisor Getachew Belay says the use of genetically
modified (GM) Cotton by farmers in the COMESA region is the
alternative to conventional cotton which is vulnerable to pests attack.
QFM’s David Bweupe reports from ,Malawi that Dr Belay told journalists
from some COMESA countries during a conducted tour of the evaluation of
Bollguard II cotton hybrid for yield and yield component in major
cotton agro ecological zones of Malawi at Chitala Agricultural
Research Station in Malawi’s Salima district.
He says GM Cotton also known Bacillus Thrungiesis BT Cotton has
proved to have high yields compared to the conventional cotton.
Dr Belay says BT Cotton saves the farmer the cost of pesticides
as there is no spraying required.
He also noted the need for COMESA member states to show political will
in the standardization of seed in the region.
Dr Belay explains that so far Malawi,Swaziland,Kenya,Uganda and Kenya
are the COMESA countries conducting research on the GM cotton.
He however, notes that in the case of Zambia, the Biosafety Act is
restrictive to the use of GMOs.
And Jessie Mvula a Malawian Research Scientist and plant breeder
explains that while in conventional cotton growing more pesticides are
used,with GMO Cotton less or no pesticides are used thereby protecting
the environment.
Ms Mvula adds that a farmer using GM cotton is assured of having more
yields compared to the one using conventional cotton.
She further states that farmers using GM Cotton will also be able to
realize a profit for themselves as a result of increased yields
And one of the Cotton farmers’ representative Jennifer Banda says
farmers in her farming community are yearning for the GM Cotton
because of its proven high yields
Mrs Banda says farmers are not realizing profit from the conventional
cotton which is vulnerable to pest attack which is compounded by the
high cost of pesticides.
ACTESA is a specialized agency of COMESA,and spearheads the
implementation of the COMESA Biotechnology and Biosafety program in
partnership with other regional,continental and international level
service providers.