Fighting Genetically Modified Technology In Ghana

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• TOGBE GANYO 12 years ago

  ARTICLES OF THIS NATURE WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO OUR FUTERE IS NEVER READ BY THE WEB CRITICKS. WHY? THEY ARE DRUNK AND THE ARTICLE IS TOO LONG AND DID NOT CONTAIN A WORD EWE OR AYIGBE,FOOLS.

  ARTICLES OF THIS NATURE WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO OUR FUTERE IS NEVER READ BY THE WEB CRITICKS. WHY? THEY ARE DRUNK AND THE ARTICLE IS TOO LONG AND DID NOT CONTAIN A WORD EWE OR AYIGBE,FOOLS.

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• ohene 12 years ago

  but who is listening?

  but who is listening?

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• Nii Ashitey 12 years ago

  Scientists and technical researchers in developing countries have recommended the innovation platforms of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information and communication technology (ICT), and geographic information systems (GI ...
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  Scientists and technical researchers in developing countries have recommended the innovation platforms of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information and communication technology (ICT), and geographic information systems (GIS). Through these four platform technologies they said Africa has the opportunity to promote its agenda concurrent with advances made in the industrialized world.
  
  Unlike other regions, Africa’s poor infrastructure represents a unique opportunity to adopt new approaches in the design and implementation of infrastructure facilities. One most neglected aspect of infrastructure investments is their role in stimulating technological innovation. Roads, water facilities, railways, telecommunications networks, and energy systems represent just a portion of the web of national and regional infrastructure necessary for food security, agricultural innovation, and agriculture-based economic development.
  
  Having been cajoled by US into finally joining other African countries with the passing of the biosafety Act which has since received presidential assent and become law, even though few Ghanaians know what a GMO is, and what health and environmental risks these might pose, the challenge is now how to build our infrastructure to accommodate the technological yields we expect from the biosafety technology.
  
  Transport infrastructure is critical to move inputs to farms and products to market; irrigation is essential for increasing yields and crop quality; energy is a vital input, particularly for value-added food processing. The use of transgenic crops is said to reduce the use of active pesticide ingredients It is also said to also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by a considerable margin. The benefits to biological diversity from this technology have therefore being touted by these advocates as invaluable.
  
  The US is at the forefront with its multi national companies have managed to cajole our governments into line by giving the go ahead with commercial farming with GM seed technology. Many opponents of GM crops have pointed to the role of multinational companies that sell GM "hybrid" seeds that do not self-pollinate, compelling farmers to buy new seeds from the same companies each year, as well as their pesticides and herbicides.
  
  The claim is made that GMOs are designed to help farmers, increase their yields and preserve the environment but they have not told us the effect of this experiment on human health and the environment. Instead what the evidence show is that the whole technology is built on a business model designed to serve the interest of multi national corporations. Because they owe the patents and royalties they dictate the price of seeds farmers pay and because there is no competition their prices will continue to escalate. Monsanto for example because of its global dominance in this area of technology has become a monopoly that control the market at the risk that there will not be a conventional or alternative seeds available after a few years.
  
  These are real concerns and with the passing of the biosafety technology in to law and with its commercialization the government owes us a duty to allay some of these concerns and fears by explaining to Ghanaians what is happening on this front because these are matters bordering on the environment and human health and it seems to me that the whole experiment is shrouded in secrecy. As for me what frightens me even more is the definition of the technology. According to the World Health Organization, Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOs) are "organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in such a way that does not occur naturally."
  
  Personally I don't think an unnatural occurrence in the food chain could be healthy when there are more questions than answers on the technology. More so when the long term effect is unknown to science. Are we tampering with the lock on Pandora box?.

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• Your conscience. 12 years ago

  Space monkees? Lead? Oil? Race? Terrorism?
  
  What in the world do these have to do with GMO's? Are you high when you write these things? Do you really get paid to write these articles? Shame on you and your editor for ...
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  Space monkees? Lead? Oil? Race? Terrorism?
  
  What in the world do these have to do with GMO's? Are you high when you write these things? Do you really get paid to write these articles? Shame on you and your editor for wasting people's precious time with this drivel.

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• francis kwarteng 12 years ago

  Hello,
  
  Did you read the first two commentators, Nii Ashitey and Togbe Ganyo?
  
  This very article whose forest of analysis you are apparently lost in, have found uncompromising support in Nii Ashitey's moral and intellectu ...
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  Hello,
  
  Did you read the first two commentators, Nii Ashitey and Togbe Ganyo?
  
  This very article whose forest of analysis you are apparently lost in, have found uncompromising support in Nii Ashitey's moral and intellectual post-moterm expositions and in the visionary creativity of Togbe Ganyo. That's all that matters to me.
  
  In fact, someone, a Ghanaian, wrote me yesterday from California and asked me if I could do another essay on a topic so dear to his heart. It is similar to this article.
  
  He, too, like you, read this very essay (on Modernghana) and was so moved by it. I am going to work on his topic pretty soon.
  
  Have you heard of Food Sovereignty Ghana? Well, it has endorsed the arguments I make in the article.
  
  One of the founding members wrote me yesterday via the editorship of Modernghana.
  
  Do I have to care what you say? Not necessarily! I have Nii Ashitey and others to listen to (even if their reviews are contructively negative. Not the kind of statements you make here). You add nothing of substance to knowledge on this forum.
  
  Don't worry, I have a few admireres out there.
  
  Thanks.

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• JH New York 12 years ago

  "Suddenly,we have redirected national resources from agriculture to the political economy of black gold. It's for this reason we import food from the outside world,and"........
  1.My question to this writer is since when did ...
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  "Suddenly,we have redirected national resources from agriculture to the political economy of black gold. It's for this reason we import food from the outside world,and"........
  1.My question to this writer is since when did Ghana started producing oil ?.
  2. And what happened we could.not developed the agricultural sector industry to this day?
  The fact is that very little was done over the past 4 decades of years, so far as food is
  concerned to develop this very important " survival" sector of the economy; simply because all those previous administrations including present with exception of Kwame Nkrumah 's & Dr Hilla Limann 's CPP Party,

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• Francis Kwarteng 12 years ago

  JH New York,
  
  I am not dealing with only Ghana.
  
  I wrote the article on Africa with the idea that Ghana has a lot to learn from others on the continent who have led us in many areas.
  
  I will plead with you to understa ...
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  JH New York,
  
  I am not dealing with only Ghana.
  
  I wrote the article on Africa with the idea that Ghana has a lot to learn from others on the continent who have led us in many areas.
  
  I will plead with you to understand the piece in that larger context.
  
  Did you see the Nigerian examples I invoked to explain probable problems we may likely face in the oil industry (and othet industries).
  
  I even cited some cases from America to explain certain things in a Ghanaian context. I also invoked examples from Tanzania, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya.
  
  Therefore, you should have read the piece in that larger context. We must learn to learn from the experiences of others.
  
  A few months ago Ethiopia sent a delegation to Ghana to study how our NHIS works. Ghana has also learned some useful lessons from Norway on oil management.
  
  I hope you have heard about resource curse? Ghana has to work hard not to fall into the same trap.
  
  Already some oil money is disappearingwith no accountability. So, in effect, we are already doing what the Nigerians are doing.
  
  That said, we don't have to wait for our oil industry to run into some of the problems the Nigerian oil industry is facing.
  
  Since oil discovery in Ghana, our leaders have been cautious and publicly made statements on how to manage our oil resources so that we don't fall into the same trap as Nigeria. That is already happening.
  
  In fact, you're thinking of the past 4 decades. I am thinking of 2000 years from now! Your 4 decades are already gone. We don't need that. If anything at all, we need to see how the next 4 decades before us go. The artucles is about the future, the past 4 decades.
  
  Thanks.

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• JH New York 12 years ago

  I cited 4 decades for the simple reason that Ghana had not developed food production since - present in that sector of the economy .That's to say I do not.agree with you that it's because of the diverted attention to oil th ...
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  I cited 4 decades for the simple reason that Ghana had not developed food production since - present in that sector of the economy .That's to say I do not.agree with you that it's because of the diverted attention to oil that is the reason why we import food.
  Yes, you mentioned other Countries as an example for Ghana to note.Therefore the subject boils down to Ghana.
  Anyway my reactions to your write up is limited to your reasons why we import food.
  Thank you.though.

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• JH New York 12 years ago

  Kuffour's NPP party,and Kutu Akeampong's military junta (operation feed yourself).The rest had/has not clear lines of plans to develop that sector,aside from occasional propaganda and media announcement of projects they wish ...
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  Kuffour's NPP party,and Kutu Akeampong's military junta (operation feed yourself).The rest had/has not clear lines of plans to develop that sector,aside from occasional propaganda and media announcement of projects they wish to undertake.
  "If Wishes were horses beggars would ride" !

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• Francis Kwarteng 12 years ago

  Dear JH New York,
  
  Thanks for the reply.
  
  I agree with you perfectly. We still have some serious work to do to move our country forward.
  
  Thanks again.

  Dear JH New York,
  
  Thanks for the reply.
  
  I agree with you perfectly. We still have some serious work to do to move our country forward.
  
  Thanks again.

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• JH New York 12 years ago

  Yes,thanks again and bye for now.

  Yes,thanks again and bye for now.

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