GM weapon at war against the threat of army worm of autumn unveiled

Corn was not always grown in sub-Saharan Africa. A plant native to the Americas, she arrived here about 500 years ago.

But everywhere around us, there are constant reminders that today, maize is the most important food crop in sub-Saharan Africa.

Afternoon traffic eating an ear of roasted corn that they bought from a street vendor.

Where there is a piece of land – in someone's yard, even just on a narrow strip next to the road – you will see stalks of corn plants

And everywhere you eat, the meal is likely to feature a stiff porridge dish made from corn flour, known as Ugali in East Africa, Nsima ] if you are in Malawi, Kenkey if you are in Ghana or Tuwo Masara in other parts of West Africa.

But today, the favorite adoption culture of sub-Saharan Africa, a staple food for half of the population that is grown in 46 of our countries, is in it. took the form of a voracious caterpillar that, like corn, made the crossing to Africa from the Americas.

But while corn brings life, this caterpillar brings death. Crop pest specialists call it the fall armyworm because it invades the landscape like a large army, invading and destroying corn, its favorite food, with military precision.

A farmer may one day look at his fields, trusting his corn is healthy and standing, but two days later, it is ruined.

With each female worm capable of laying 2,000 eggs in its two-week life, it took the Legionnaire two years to expand to nearly every country. the continent. Experts warn that it could destroy 20 million tons of maize in Africa each year. That's enough to feed 100 million people.

In Uganda, I worked with a team to develop maize that could withstand the disabling disease of corn disease virus. But the fall legionnaire can be one of the biggest threats to food production in sub-Saharan Africa.

We urgently need solutions. Insecticides are a potential option, if available and affordable. But their effectiveness is limited by the fact that, before sitting down for dinner, these worms dig deep into the ears of corn where insecticides often do not reach.

In the end, farmers will need many different tools to repel these invaders.

The one that will soon be available to farmers is very promising. It's a type of corn that looks like corn varieties grown here for centuries, but with a very important difference.

This corn has been genetically planted by breeders with integrated protection against pests. attacks.

The protective gene is derived from a common bacterium found naturally in the soil called bacillus thuringiensis, or just Bt.

Bt is harmless to humans, livestock, and animals, so that organic farmers have been spraying on their crops for decades as a natural way of fighting stun bugs.

But for the fall armyworm, Bt corn is often deadly. And unlike sprayed pesticides, Bt corn pushes its attack from deep within the corn plant, making it more effective.

Several varieties of Bt maize have been developed by the African public-private partnership called Water Efficient Maize for Africa (Wema).

In addition to developing drought-resistant crops, Wema scientists also use their extensive knowledge of corn to combat productivity-limiting pests such as stem borers and fall armyworms.

Wema Bt maize varieties are currently being tested in Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and South Africa.

Wema varieties were much less vulnerable to legionnaires' damage than currently grown maize varieties. Farmers in South Africa are already planting Bt maize. We are currently working in several other countries to provide all that is needed to conduct a thorough and independent review of any safety issues and to answer farmers 'and farmers' questions. consumers.

Bt corn has been produced and consumed safely for decades.

Nevertheless, African countries must conduct their own independent assessments and make these varieties available to the millions of farmers who depend on maize for their livelihood.

In the long term, the fall armyworm will have to be managed by an integrated system. , a holistic set of solutions that offer farmers options to protect their corn. But speed is crucial. The fall armyworm is a vicious predator that spreads quickly.

Bt corn represents an almost ready solution that already works against the fall legionnaire. And it can be used as part of a complete set of crop management interventions.

We hope our leaders will examine the scientific evidence and give more African farmers the opportunity to choose Bt corn to protect themselves from this alarming threat. 19659004] Denis T. Kyetere is the Executive Director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation.