Alimentos Modificados

Genetically modified food has recently become part of humankind’s diet despite the controversy aroused by ecologic organizations claiming secondary and dangerous effects to consumers. In contrast, various scientists remark multiple benefits in transgenic goods such as vitamins and micronutrients, besides some beneficial effects to the environment. Regardless the multiple views and beliefs about GM food, many countries around the world, such as US, China, Japan and members of the European Union are currently producing, consuming and commercializing transgenic food. In the same way, third world countries predominantly from Africa are starting to develop techniques to grow and consume GM food. Countries like Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt have recently agreed on cultivating transgenic crops in order to progressively diminish draughts and famine in their nations. Being this said, it is vital to acknowledge and determine until what extend is genetically modified food assisting world powers or whereas poor countries, primarily from Africa, find greater aids and benefits from this revolutionary and innovating type of food.

Hunger and starvation is caused by multiples problems; one being drought. Africa has suffered through harsh weather conditions, a lack of rainfall or improper irrigation leads to severe growing conditions and farmers are unable to grow and maintain crops. Eastern Africa has been struggling with a famine that, according to the United Nations, put 12 million people seeking for help. The United Nations officially declared a famine in five regions of Somalia and warned that hunger might spread to neighboring countries namely, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda. More than 10 million people face hunger and even death by starvation in Southern Africa. The worst drought in more than 10 years, combined with the devastating impact of diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, has caused incredible food shortages affecting agricultural and livestock production. As a result of the shortages, prices for the declining supply of available food in the market have soared.

Africa seems increasingly unable to feed itself. Subsistent farming, the most widespread farming system in Africa, is progressively finding it harder to feed the continent. The problems that attacks subsistence farming is related to crop damage due to insect pests, disease, weather and inadequate preservation and distribution methods. Genetically modified crops help increase yields and reduce input costs. Thus, these foods will not only produce to be more in quantity but can also have a longer life with less labor and natural materials such as water, soil, and energy, in order to produce nutritional foods that African population needs, but it can also increase food security for Africa’s development.

South Africa was Africa’s sole cultivator of GM maize, cotton and soya beans until 2008, when Egypt began growing GM maize and Burkina Faso first planted GM cotton. Now Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mali, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Nigeria are conducting research and field trials of GM crops including maize, rice, wheat, sorghum and cotton, which could prove to be the first step toward adoption. This changing attitude to GM food crops by African countries is largely as a result of decreasing food production, drought and famine. According to the director of the African Biosafety Network of Expertise, Diran Nakinde, there is increasing support to test biotech in several African countries and claimed they should rely on biotechnology to prevent further losses in yields and performance of crops; therefore, they need to advance scientific methods that reduce time needed to develop new crop varieties.

Supporters of genetic engineering see biotechnology leading the continent to an abundant and prosperous future by genetically modifying crops to resist drought and pests, and fight off disease. Margaret Karembu, Director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications’ AfriCenter in Nairobi says the benefits of biotechnology are clear in countries like South Africa, which was the first to commercialize

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