The
first-ever GM crop to be planted in Ghana took off early
2013 on confined fields at Nobewam in the Ashanti region.
The
research seeks to develop genetically improved African rice varieties by combining
genes for three traits – nitrogen use efficiency, water use efficiency and salt
tolerance in rice production, dubbed ‘NEWEST Rice’.
“What
we do in the trial is that we take agronomic data; so we look for yield, plant
performance, then we compare with those that do not have the gene,” stated Charles
Afriyie-Debrah, a research scientist and biosafety officer at the CRI.
The
germplasm transformed is the NERICA-4 developed by AfricaRice.
Compounded
by climate change, drought is so widespread it cannot be mitigated solely by
irrigation, he observed.
“The
next stage, according to our plan, is the second gene which will make the plant
survive in times of little rain, so in years where we have drought problems the
plant can still survive,” said the researcher.
At
the end of the different trials, the triple stack genes will be put together
into one plant. “That means I will have a plant that can survive when I don’t
apply fertilizer, when there is less water and when the soil is acidic,” Mr.
Afriyie-Debrah stated.
A
ban on inland rice importation in Ghana is contributing significantly to the
demand for local rice. However, the demand for local rice currently outstrips
supply.
The
objective of the NEWEST Rice trials is to explore how farmers can maximize
yields per bag of applied fertilizer to enhance Ghana’s food production.
But
commercialization is not expected any time soon. According to Mr.
Afriyie-Debrah, the trial will include a ‘food and feed analysis’ which will
take more years to ensure the product is safe for consumption “so that when we
say that we are commercializing it, somebody wouldn’t eat and say I’m having allergies
or anything”.
Story
by Kofi Adu Domfeh
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