Green light for GM sorghum

But a local anti-GM crop lobby group lamented the decision, saying GM foods have not "benefited" the poor or marginalised.

This is after an appeal board, appointed by the Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs, Lulu Xingwana, set aside an earlier ruling by the Executive Council of Genetically Modified Organisms, denying the CSIR a permit to undertake contained greenhouse trials on transformed sorghum.

"Sorghum is an African crop that is the staple food of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa. While it is one of the few crops that grow well in arid parts, it is lacking in most essential nutrients and it has poor protein digestibility," the institution said.

Scientific evidence shows that deficiencies in essential micronutrients - such as iron, zinc, Vitamin A and others - can cause impaired immune systems, blindness, low birth weight, impaired neuropsychological development and growth stunting. Malnutrition remains a leading direct and indirect cause of the rise in the many non-communicable diseases, especially in Africa, it added.

The Africa Biofortified Sorghum (ABS) Project seeks to develop a more nutritious and easily digestible sorghum that contains increased levels of essential amino acids, especially lysine, increased levels of Vitamins A and E, and more available iron and zinc, CSIR said.

Safety

CSIR Biosciences executive director, Dr Gatsha Mazithulela, said: "This process proves that South Africa has robust regulation. We respect the fact that decision-makers have an obligation towards safety and that rigorous investigations are part of the process. Work on the project will now continue in our level 3 biosafety greenhouse."

He added that the CSIR and its consortium partners support biosafety and are undertaking additional responsibilities to satisfy the public and the regulators that the work conducted is ethical, conforms to the highest safety levels, and is in the interests of the public.

However, anti-GM crops lobby group Biowatch director Leslie Liddell told I-Net Bridge that GM foods "have not benefited the poor and marginalised of our world as [GM foods proponents] assert".

She added that the research showed that localised, sustainable and ecological food production must be actively pursued in order to attain food security.

Quoting a report by International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development Genetically Liddell said, "engineered crops had little role to play in feeding the world".

"The report calls for a systematic redirection of investment, funding, research and policy focus towards the needs of small farmers.

Liddell said the approval to engineer sorghum enhanced the possibility of "yet another key food crop indigenous to Africa, being genetically modified and entering our food chain without significant public debate and understanding of the implications".

- I-Net Bridge