Ghana’s genetically modified cowpea is expected to improve agriculture and boost the economy

Approval of genetically engineered cowpeas in Ghana paves the way for agricultural advances and economic opportunity, researchers say.

Ghana introduced its first biotech crop, pod borer-resistant (PBR) cowpea, in June this year, becoming the second country in the world to have approved genetically engineered cowpea for commercialization. It took researchers about nine years to accomplish this feat.

Farmers who are at the end of the technology have expressed excitement at the development and hope to get their hands on PBR lowpea seeds soon. Emmanuel Attakorah, 56, who farms a 10-hectare field of cowpeas, expressed his delight at this development and called for more education to educate them on best cultural practices in growing the product.

“I spray my farm at least four times each season to kill the pests, but if the pests are persistent I can spray about two more times,” Attakorah said. “I am delighted that we can finally grow the new cowpea that resists the pests. I would like to know the price of the seeds, how to grow them and even what spacing to use.”

Serwaa Doris, who planted 1.2 hectares of conventional cowpeas last season, complained about how poor the yield was even after spraying six times to control the maruca pests. Speaking to the Alliance for Science, she said the main causes of the poor yield are low rainfall, pests and weeds. She said she would like to be one of the first farmers to plant the PBR lowpea and reap its benefits. In this way, she can serve as an advocate for the technology to other farmers.

Although research to develop genetically modified nitrogen-and-water-efficient (NEWEST) rice is ongoing, the researchers say the approval of the PBR lowpea will set the pace for more crops to be improved using biotechnology and promise economic gains achieve.

dr Daniel Osei Ofosu, research scientist at the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (BNARI-GAEC), said in an interview with the Alliance for Science that commercializing the podworm-resistant cowpea will help halt its import of chemicals that adversely affect farmers’ health in the long term. He noted that what is unique about Ghana’s approval is the simple measure of allowing an important food crop such as cowpea, stressing that this is a test of the technology.

He said the approval of the technology will help students studying agricultural biotechnology at various colleges across the country to understand what they are studying and know firsthand and how it is applied by farmers, making their studies more realistic.

“When you’re talking about a technology and people don’t have tangible things to touch, it looks a bit abstract,” he explained. “So I think the admission will excite the students because now they will see the potential. If they do research after school, they can find better solutions for farming. And for students who aren’t yet in university, it gives them hope that one day they can help make safer and cheaper food for our populations.”

Saeedatu Sulaiman, a biotechnology student at the University of Development Studies in Tamale, expressed her excitement. She said the move will help reduce unemployment and imports, while also serving as motivation for her to study hard to fit in the field. She added that “the acceptance of the Bt [PBR] Cowpea will clear doubts and misconceptions about GMOs.”

Biotechnology students at the University of Development Studies in Tamale. Photo: Dennis Baffour-Awuah

dr Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw, country coordinator of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology, added that the approval and eventual commercialization of PBR lowpea will boost the economy. He explained that cowpeas have become an important source of protein for many and their availability in the market will support both local and international trade.

“When it comes to exports from West Africa, cowpea is one of the crops consumed by almost all of us. So if we talk about trade at sub-regional level, cowpea can be one of the selected products and I can tell you that if we trade it, even just within West Africa, it will boost the economy.” He added that more food products could be developed from cowpeas, attracting more farmers and processors and making the value chain lucrative for all.

Though Ghana is not considered one of the early adopters of the technology, Ofosu said Ghana has put in place all the necessary mechanisms for its scientists to build capacity. However, if there is no investment in acquiring resources to improve developed crops, scientists will be at the mercy of foreign institutions. He urged the government to take guidance from the COVID-19 pandemic and prioritize agriculture, stating that the sector is still in its infancy.

“Mostly people say Ghanaian scientists don’t work,” Ofosu said. “They may not seem to be working because they don’t have the necessary tools to do the job. Take a look at what we’ve been able to accomplish with our healthcare facilities during the pandemic. What happens when it comes to food? Everyone has to eat whether they are sick or not. If we have problems with our food and we don’t invest in research to solve the problems, we will get to a point where it may not be a pandemic but an epidemic that we as a country will not be able to to feed ourselves. ”

He added that scientists shouldn’t be afraid to educate people about it, even though the public seems to have more understanding of the technology now than before. “We must continue to create an enabling environment through regulations and policies to ensure that relevant technologies in this area are deployed in the country to help solve our nutritional problems.”

Picture: Conventional cowpeas on the market in Ghana. Photo: Alliance for Science

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