I saw an article recently in the local paper urging Uganda to adopt Genetically Modified (GMO). Crops. I recall that mandatory labeling of GMO was a recent controversial Colorado ballot issue. It has seemed to me that proactively labeling export crops from Uganda as “Non-GMO” might be a marketing advantage. I emailed my hero Peter Jensen, who teaches perma-gardening to Peace Corps volunteers all over the world. I wanted to know his views, which I reprint with his permission.
GMO crops. Yes – it would be an advantage to Uganda to market the hell out of the fact that field crops from Uganda are non-GMO! Especially as any markets for Ugandan crops are most likely European. Nearly every (could be all) European nations have declared they will not import GMO crops.
Personally, I weigh in on the ‘against GMO’ side of things. Partly from the perspective that we really don’t know the long term health effects of eating maize infused with the genes of soil bacterium that works to rot the guts out of the army worms and other caterpillars that attack maize. Scientists have found that rats eating GMO sweet corn did indeed develop stomach ulcers and even cancer. That makes me turn my head a bit.
I mostly come down against GMO because it is a bandaid solution. We don’t need drought tolerant crops – we need drought tolerant soil. But I can get away with this because I operate on the small potatoes scale of things and preach the ‘Small is Bountiful’ mantra of the acre or less farmers of the world. I can understand the push to reach those 10+ acre commercial growers who honestly can’t double dig…but they could use better non-till/cover crop intensive systems that would do much the same.
That’s just my initial take on your question. Feel free to bounce other thoughts at me.
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Rainy season is starting and last night was the biggest rainstorm since I came to Uganda. It wrecked the ATEFO sign in front of our office.
Azedy Jr. had to come home from boarding school for the second time in two weeks due to malaria. You occasionally see people around town with the IV stub bandaged to their arm.