Ghana’s GMO debates: beyond the sticking points (1)

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• James Khaki 11 years ago

  This is the most comprehensive article I have read on the topic so far.

  This is the most comprehensive article I have read on the topic so far.

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• insight to the bone 11 years ago

  how can you bother debating when both the chief director and the minister of agric have been already bribed into compliance by the Monsanto lobbyists ? the corruption , selfishness and greed is killing us and the future , onl ...
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  how can you bother debating when both the chief director and the minister of agric have been already bribed into compliance by the Monsanto lobbyists ? the corruption , selfishness and greed is killing us and the future , only an uprising of the people can convince leaders that they can not get away with this murder scot free

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• Emmanuel Enoch 11 years ago

  Great article, super review. The timing is just appropriate. kudos

  Great article, super review. The timing is just appropriate. kudos

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• KUTXA, Bayonne, France 11 years ago

  In am very sure the government is in a good position to know that, Ghanaians are not in favour of such unethical food in this country. Just three days ago, there was a report in the Guardian newspaper, where a farmer sued ano ...
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  In am very sure the government is in a good position to know that, Ghanaians are not in favour of such unethical food in this country. Just three days ago, there was a report in the Guardian newspaper, where a farmer sued another farmer for infesting his farm with a GM groups in Australia. Many are those who rallied behind the man who sued, and even went as far as raising money for him to fight the case at court, since according to them, they have the right to eat natural food, devoid of chemicals.
  
  This is a very interesting case, and I wish I have the opportunity to see how it ends. We as a nation should be very carefull when it comes to things of such nature. There are many countries who have seriously objected to the type of food. Why would the government accept it, if it is not worth consuming in those countries that are forcing it on us? I can only hope that the government take these warnings very serious and do the right thing. I don´t think we need such food in a country such as ours. I urge the government to to say no to these exploiters. There are many hungry people out there in Europe, who need these food more than us. Ghana, for that matter Africa, deserves better.

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• AMU 11 years ago

  Thank you Kutxa.

  Thank you Kutxa.

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• Elijah 11 years ago

  At last a properly written, scientifically minded article on GMOs. Whilst I agree with most of your arguments and counter arguments on safety of GMOs there are just too many unknowns for a country like Ghana with very weak sc ...
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  At last a properly written, scientifically minded article on GMOs. Whilst I agree with most of your arguments and counter arguments on safety of GMOs there are just too many unknowns for a country like Ghana with very weak scientific structures to be venturing into this area at the pace it does. Ghana does not have the resources or skilled enough manpower to prevent "leakages" of genetic material from any field trials into our natural ecosystems. The corporate plant breeders have not proven themselves to have the best interests of the general population in mind and it wouldn't be completely out of place to conclude that they are merely interested in making huge sums of money at the expence of poor third world farmers and populations. You guys are very well "decorated" scientifically and we are honoured to have compatriots like you working in important fields like that elsewhere. However your article has not addressed reasons why leading countries around the world, including the EU where most of you are based,have flatly rejected the widespread use of GMOs in food crops or any other crops for that matter. We know these countries have very strong research institutions which are among the best in the world. We also know they carry out a lot of research into genetics in general and the British are indeed pioneers in this area. Remember dolly the sheep? My worry is we are tempering with something we know very little about which could have potentially life threatening consequences. If the science eventually proves it to be safe for human consumption then we must pursue it. Until that is proven beyond reasonable doubts wouldn't it be reasonable to air on the side of caution? Wouldn't it be wiser for those of us who understand the science to guide the millions of our people who don't in the sensible direction? Do we really want our farmers to commit to using self-destructible seeds which will tie them to the global corporate giants who don't give a damn whether the average Ghanaian has dinner on their plate? Common sense would suggest that we need not rush into bringing this bill in force unless we fully asess its longterm implications and satisfy ourselves that we are not shooting ourselves in the foot. Does your article tell us anything about the longterm effects of consuming GMO food? Does anyone actually know about any longterm effects? Why not attempt to increase our farm yield using conventional methods that we know have been safely used for hundreds, if not thousands of years? What about improving storage, processing and transportation so we don't actually lose the little that we produce? Have you ever heard of the numerous lawsuits filed against Monsanto and other GMO plant breeders? Just google the GMO roulette, the world against monsanto etc and research for yourselves.

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• Pelicles 11 years ago

  These guys just came to us to tell us the they are well learned but failed to address the core issue of whether GMO foods are safe or not. First of all, why is the EU not enthused by this GMO nonsense or the EU cannot delve ...
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  These guys just came to us to tell us the they are well learned but failed to address the core issue of whether GMO foods are safe or not. First of all, why is the EU not enthused by this GMO nonsense or the EU cannot delve deep into researching why genetic modified orgasms are good for human consumption?
  
  Look, who came out with Atomic, Nuclear, Nitrogen bombs and for what purpose? It is the quest for mankind to always find a way to cause mass murder to see how good they are with their evil intention HIV virus is a prime a prime example.
  
  Why do people think that we cannot survive using the conventional way of producing our food? Birth and death is not always equilibrium and the fact that humanity may live longer should not be a podium for some people to come out with a sinister move to cause mass extermination. GMO foods, in the long run, may cause death of millions of people in which we African will be on the receiving ends. Does it make sense for mankind to alter how corn grows and if our farmers need to plant new crops, then they have to go and buy the seed from Monsanto? In war, if your supply line is targeted and cut, your defeat is eminent.
  
  I live in the US and it is one of the only advance nation to accept the GMO nonsense and trust me, cancer is very common here with no acceptable explanation.
  
  I am not a scientist but commonsense should tell us that some people somewhere are out there to cause untold hardship on us with we failed to look over our shoulders.

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• Chris 11 years ago

  Pelicles, would you have believed the authors if they had told you that GMOs are safe? I guess you won't. Actually, you may want to read the Seralini affair, the link which the authors have provided in their article. It is ve ...
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  Pelicles, would you have believed the authors if they had told you that GMOs are safe? I guess you won't. Actually, you may want to read the Seralini affair, the link which the authors have provided in their article. It is very informative. Further, it is not true that it's only the US that has accepted GMOs. Some countries in the EU do too. It is true that there is societal resistance to GMOs in the EU, but it has nothing to do with scientific evidence.....it is largely fuelled by public opinion. Many prominent scientists in the EU, including in the UK Royal Society have been urging their governs to take steps to explain the issues better to their people. You may also read about the Pusztai Affair....It will help too. The European Food Safety Authority, Food Standards Australia New Zealand, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the World Health Organization have all said that GM foods are safe. Please read the Seralini Affair.....It will open your eyes to many things. The authors couldn't possible have told you everything about GMOs. But I guess they have provided enough links to guide you. Besides, it appears that this is only part 1 of their article. They may address your concerns in part 2.....Cheers

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• Kwaku 11 years ago

  Such thinking and knowledgeable men must be allowed to shape our policies and decisions. I hope the politician are listening. The Politicians must exercise the caution of the scientific minds before rushing to any decision o ...
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  Such thinking and knowledgeable men must be allowed to shape our policies and decisions. I hope the politician are listening. The Politicians must exercise the caution of the scientific minds before rushing to any decision on the GMO issue.

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• Xcroc 11 years ago

  The GMO multinational corporations and their foundations funded the schools these scientists attended, fund their research and their institutions. The scientists may hope to profit by developing and patenting their own GMOs. ...
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  The GMO multinational corporations and their foundations funded the schools these scientists attended, fund their research and their institutions. The scientists may hope to profit by developing and patenting their own GMOs. This article is more about self interest than science.

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• Ken 11 years ago

  The way people make allegations without any shred of evidence is amazing. Do you for a fact if the institutions these scientists attended are funded by GMO multinational corporations? Or you just throw mud at people and hope ...
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  The way people make allegations without any shred of evidence is amazing. Do you for a fact if the institutions these scientists attended are funded by GMO multinational corporations? Or you just throw mud at people and hope it sticks? These people are Ghanaians, and have a right to contribute to a debate ongoing in their own country. The tendency to tag everyone who appears to support GMOs as being on the payroll of big multinationals is sickening. This tactic by anti-GM persons and groups prevents informed discourse; it is a communist inferior tactics. If you think these people have made comments that cannot be supported by science, just say so. To say that the article they have written is more about self-interest than science is not helpful. Or is the reverse also true, that those who kick against GM without any effort to evaluate the evidence available are also pushing their own interest and not actually fighting for food security?

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• Xcroc 11 years ago

  The only reason for GMOs is patents. They are the means to control and own our food and farming, so that every time any of us eat, the technology owners profit.
  This is the reason for the Plant Breeders Bill, so multinationa ...
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  The only reason for GMOs is patents. They are the means to control and own our food and farming, so that every time any of us eat, the technology owners profit.
  This is the reason for the Plant Breeders Bill, so multinational corporations can patent our food and own every bite we put in our mouths.
  gmwatch.org/index.php/news/archive/2014/15303

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• JustConcerned 11 years ago

  So please Ghanaians let think about this: God has given us free seed to propagate, by making sure that every plant can reproduce by itself. Why should i go and buy maize before i plant when the natural one can give me for fre ...
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  So please Ghanaians let think about this: God has given us free seed to propagate, by making sure that every plant can reproduce by itself. Why should i go and buy maize before i plant when the natural one can give me for free? Who said we are hungry? Just observe our rural folks, are they not appearing even better nourished than us in the urban areas consuming articial stuff the more? Why is it that original orange is nicer than the agric one? Why is home bred chicken nicer and tastes better than the cold store one? Please let's be wise. Natural is the best.Let's reject gmo. We have very fertile lands as ghanaians. Let's try to do backyard gardening.what ever it is, if europe is rejecting it, we don't even have to debate it. We have lands, we are not hungry.

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