GMOs: green light globally

As an international agricultural analyst and consultant to the agricultural biotechnology industry, I dispute, as scientifically and medically unsubstantiated, the following claims which appeared in an article in The Citizen on August 31: “GMO: SA has to see the red light. “Disturbing: is SA becoming a dumping ground for genetically modified food?”

“SA hell-bent on GM food without any cautionary approach. “Scientists warned GMOs are unstable. “Untested claims by the industry that GM crops increase yields and reduce pesticide reliance.”

Numerous academies of science, including the Royal Society of London, Academy of Science SA, European Academies of Science, the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences, The European Food Safety Authority, the Food and Agricultural Organisation and World Health Organisation, have all given GMOs ( genetically modified organisms) the green light.

The most significant analysis and research, at a cost of more than €300 million (R4.5 billion), was conducted by the European Commission over 25 years, involving more than 130 research projects and 500 independent research groups. They concluded: “Biotechnology, and in particular GMOs, are no more risky than conventional plant breeding technologies.”

No science or medical academy in the world has ever warned GMOs are unstable. Nor is SA a dumping ground for GMOs. Genetically modified seed is cultivated in SA by SA farmers and sold on the free market. About 87% of our maize is GM, 95% of soya and 100% cotton is too. South Africa is not alone. In 2014, 18 million farmers in 28 countries on six continents planted 181.5 million hectares of GM crops (International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications report 2014).

An in-depth meta-analysis over the past 20 years done by Martin Qaim and Wilhelm Klümper, economists at Göttingen University in Germany, found that: “On average GM technology has reduced chemical pesticide use by 37%, increased crop yields by 22% and increased farmers profits by 68%.” To cite the experiences of a few SA farmers: Gilly Scheepers from the Free State was SA Grain Farmer of the Year 2012. His yield increased from 4t/ha dry land with non-GM maize to 7t/ha with GM maize. Free State farmer Anthony Evans, SA Grain Farmer of the Year 2013 and National Farmer of the Year 1982, had an average yield increase of 10% with GM maize.

Ms Tepsy Ntseoane, a smallholder farmer in Sebokeng near Johannesburg, increased her maize yield from 2t/ha to 7t/ha with GM maize.

South Africa is per capita the world’s largest consumer of GM food, as maize is our staple diet.

According to the Maize Trust, an accumulative 12 million hectares of GM maize was planted from 2001 to 2010, producing a grain crop of 40 million metric tons.

In one way or another, this grain has been annually consumed by 50 million South Africans, 800 million broilers, 1.4 million feedlot cattle and three million pigs without any scientifically or medically proven adverse effect on humans, animals or the environment.

International agricultural analyst and consultant to the agricultural biotechnology industry

GM grain has been consumed by 50 million South Africans, 800 million broilers, 1.4 million feedlot cattle and three million pigs without any scientifically or medically proven adverse

effect