Agricultural Biotechnology : Case Study Southern Africa

1. Agricultural Biotechnology : Case Study Southern Africa Prof. Jennifer Thomson (UCT) Prof. Jocelyn Webster (UP) Mrs Sabina Khoza (NAFU)

2. REVIEW • Food Security in Africa and Southern Africa • Status biotechnology in Southern Africa • Status in South Africa • Applications for the resource poor • Constraints • Way forward

3. Role of Agriculture in Africa • 50 - 75% of the labour force in agriculture. • 70% of population depends on agriculture as sole source of income. • Africa’s crop production is the lowest in the world 1.7 tons/ha Africa; 4.0 tons/ha global. • 25% of grain imported. • Most African countries depend on agriculture for foreign currency earnings.

4. Maize Demand Million MT 1997 2020 Increase % Industrial 290 343 53 18 Developing 295 508 213 72 Asia 172 309 137 80 Latin America 75 118 43 57 SubSaharan Africa 29 52 23 80 Others 19 29 10 53 Global 585 851 266 45 Source: IFPRI 2003. Cereal Projections.

5. MAIZE DOMESTIC DEFICIT/SURPLUS: 2003/04 COMPARED TO 2004/05 PROJECTIONS

6. Status of GM approvals in SADC countries Biosafety laws in place Draft biosafety laws Biosafety laws under development July 2004

7. Agricultural biotechnology research in Southern Africa Maize Focus • Insect resistance • Virus resistance • Drought tolerance • Fungal resistance

8. Maize streak virus is endemic in Africa causing huge economic losses For resource poor farmers

9. Maize Streak Virus Non-transgenic (8A) Transgenic (7A)

10. Drought Tolerant Maize to generate drought tolerant crops Hydrated Dehydrated

11. Other Crops • Sorghum • Millet • Bananas • Sugar cane • Cow pea • Cassava

12. Healthy Cassava Virus-infected Cassava

13. Current Status of Biotechnology in South Africa • Biotechnology research and development for over 30 years • Research groups engaged in 911 research projects • 30% were core biotech projects focused on commercial products • 6% offered biotechnology services • Majority of research groups are small with 1 to 10 researchers

14. Current Status of Biotechnology in South Africa II • Biotechnology projects spread across eight sectors (human health, animal health, plant, food and beverage, industrial, environmental, support services and other • 45 companies that were using biotechnology in food, feed and fibre in 1998, 52 were reported 2003. National Biotechnology Audit, Final Report. September 2003

15. Agricultural Biotechnology • Controlled field trials began in 1990 under amendment to Pests Act 36 • GM cotton approved in 1997 for general release • GM maize was approved for commercial release in 1998 (used yellow maize first • GM soya approved in 2000

16. SA Agricultural Biotechnology • Primarily aimed at controlling diseases and pests. • Improving the storage properties of food. • Improving weed control. • Improving yield and quality of foods. • Protecting natural resources. • Drought and salt tolerance. • Biofuel production (many developing and developed countries are moving to bioeconomies)

17. GM in South Africa • Insect tolerant cotton • Insect tolerant maize • Herbicide tolerant cotton • Herbicide tolerant soya • Herbicide tolerant maize

18. South African GM crop acreage 2004-2005

19. Control Measures on GMO’s • GMO Act 15 1997 • National Environmental Management Act • Biodiversity Bill (draft) • National Biotechnology Strategy • Regulations on Labeling • Convention for Biological Diversity • Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2003) • International treaty on plant Genetic Resources (FAO)

20. Executive CouncilGMO Act • Dept of Agriculture • Dept of Health • Dept of Environment Affairs and Tourism • Dept of Science and Technology • Dept of Trade and Industry • Dept of Labor • Dept of Agriculture: Registrar’s Office

21. Safety checks under GMO Act

22. COTTON GROWN IN SOUTH AFRICA

23. Bt-cotton vs. non Bt-cotton(both planted at the same time) • Non Bt-cotton • Large plant, excessive vegetative growth • Difficult to spray • Few bolls to harvest • 10 sprays for all insect pests • Bt-cotton • Small compact plant • Many mature bolls ready for harvest • -3 sprays for non bollworm pests

24. SMALLHOLDER ADOPTION OF Bt COTTON IN THE MAKHATINI Statistics - 1999/00 to 2000/01 Growth in no. of Bt-cotton users: 57% Bt-cotton: 52% non Bt cotton: 48%

25. What are the Issues • Regulations and legislation need to provide safety checks and balances but easy to use by all stakeholders including scientists and farmers • The cost of biosafety assessment needs to be minimised to ensure maximum benefits from this technology

26. Way Forward • We need to aim for more coordination between strategic policy making in the following areas: • Sustainable agriculture • Agriculture and trade • Agricultural research • Regulation of biotechnology

27. Agricultural GM technology is here to stay • It is currently underutilized, despite its specific appeal to a wide range of farming systems • Biotechnology and biosafety legislation and regulations need to be comprehensive but not too costly or restrict innovation

28. Resource Poor FarmerSabina Khoza • Small scale farmer • Mother • NAFU South Africa • The next slides represent experiences with GM insect resistant maize

31. Results of Bt Maize Demonstration plot

32. Harvest from Brits

33. MAIZE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT(BRITS) ESTIMATION OF YIELD AND DAMAGE % yield increase = 10.1-7.2÷7.2 x 100 = 40.3% % cobs damaged by stalk borer = 40 ÷251 x 100 = 16%

34. Benefits of Biotechnology to resource poor farmers • Increase in yields • Better utilization of land • Improved seeds • Increased income • Improved pest control • Safety • Reduced handling of hazardous chemicals

35. What can biotechnology offer resource poor farmers • Develop faster, safer, more nutritious agricultural products • Controlling pests and diseases that can wipe out entire crops. • Would like other applications eg maize streak virus resistance, drought tolerance

36. Concern • Negative changes to regulations and legislation making them too restrictive or costly will not assist farmers to have access to this technology