Gilbert Gumisiriza

NARO-UBIC
Field Excursion from the
African Center For Media Excellence (ACME)
18th May 2016

Source: FAO

Source: FAO

Global Demographic Trends

To produce Kg of meat, it takes

The Ugandan Context

9th highest fertility rate (UN 2015)

72% of total land area agricultural

Increased levels of average wealth

Increased rural-urban migration

Uganda Food Security Outlook

2015 Global Hunger Index by Severity

Source: IFPRI

Banana Bacterial Wilt

>75% farmers grow Banana

>70% yield loss due to BXW
300M US$ annual loss

13M Ugandans staple crop

Cassava Brown Streak Disease

>70% farmers growing Cassava

24M US$ annual loss
10 M Ugandans staple crop

Drought Effect On Maize Production

>19M US$ yield loss

Aggravated by Climate change

Maize Stem Borer

>86 % farmers grow maize

>50M US$ annual revenues
>30% yield loss
Secondary public health
burden

Ndiwulira
Secondary mold infection producing
Aflatoxins - known cancer causing toxins

Biotechnology is.
The use of living organisms, their parts or their derivatives, to make or modify
products for specific use. - Modified from Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) Article 2

Biotech Is Used In Various Sectors

http://www.dna2life.com

Qn. How did the plants we grow today come to be????

A. Natural mistakes that survived and were selected by man

Tools of Biotechnology in Crop Improvement

Selective Breeding (Artificial Selection)

Source: GLP

Hybrid Technology

Better maize from crossing two parents and

selecting the best offspring

Parent A

Hybrid

Parent B

Molecular Breeding

Using molecular markers to

accelerate genetic gain

Cell & Tissue Culture

Used to rapidly multiply clean and

disease free planting material

Advanced Genomics-Assisted Breeding

Genetic modification (GM) technology

Can we cross these?

X
Contains Solution to BXW
(Banana Bacterial Wilt)

NARO is using GM to solve some of the very difficult

problems

GM Crop Research Under NARO

Source: ISAAA

Contribution Of Biotech Crops To Sustainability

Source: ISAAA

Commercially Availability of GM Crops

Biosafety: The Other Half of the Story

The measures put in place to protect human health and the
environment from the possible adverse effects of the products of
modern biotechnology.
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000)

Or

The safe development, transfer and application of biotechnology and

its products.
UNCST (2011)

Biosafety in Africa: Current State of Play

25
20
15
10

5
0
NBFs/Laws
Enacted

Interim NBFs

NBF is work-inprogress

No NBFs

Concerns

Uganda Signatory to Number of International Treaties & is Duty-Bound to Implement Provisions

Convention On Biological Diversity (CBD)

Cartagena Protocol On Biosafety To The CBD

Nagoya Kuala Lumpur Protocol On Liability And Redress
Nagoya Protocol On Access To Benefit Sharing

WTO GATT/ TBT/ TRIPs

IPPC SPS
OIE

WHO-FAO Codex Alimentarius

National Biosafety and Biotechnology Bill (2012) currently before Parliament for Deliberation!

Anticipated to provide unified approach to Biosafety Management

Biosafety System in Uganda

UNCST:

National agency for coordination of interim biosafety system, by virtue of statutory remit

Other Key Players:

MoWE/NEMA:
MAAIF:
UNBS
MTTI

(CBD Focal Point)

(IPPC Focal Point)
(CODEX Contact Point)
(WTO FP, NNA for TBT &SPS)

The Event Horizon!

On 17th May 2016 (yesterday!) US NAS released comprehensive
report affirming safety of GM crops after reviewing 20 + years of
scientific data, and conducting public hearing with >80 witnesses

New set of NBTs are currently in regulatory limbo in US and EU>>

expected to change dialectic on regulation
Rapidly evolving tech. and regulatory landscape.

Thank You!

www.ugandabic.org