Costech researchers gather evidence on GM maize seeds

Dar es Salaam. The Commission for Science and Technology (Costech) is gathering evidence on genetically modified (GM) maize seeds.

Field trials are going on at Makutupora to advise the government and make a decision.

The trials are being carried out by the Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (Tari) at confined field trials in Dodoma as required by law.

This is the second field trial after the first batch on drought-resistance seeds proved successful and later destroyed because the regulations are yet to approve commercialisation.

However, another confined field trial on pest and drought tolerant seeds is ongoing and initial process shows success.

Costech director general Amos Nungu said the commission and Tari had been conducting the field trials to ensure farmers get the best seeds for production.

“Farmers face numerous challenges including pests in the form of fall armyworms as well as drought that destroy their crops, ultimately leading to low yields,” he said.

According to him, the first trial was based on drought-tolerant maize seeds and the second trial is now on drought and pest control to ensure the country has seeds that are able to solve changes.

Explaining he said that since fall armyworms were identified in Tanzania in late 2016, the level of destruction was high, causing farmers to lose almost all their crops. According to him, the commission will gather all evidence and advise the government on best modes of technology. “We aim at ensuring that the government accesses advanced biotech by gathering relevant evidence.”

Meanwhile, Mr Hassan Mwaja, a resident of Mchemwa in Dodoma, said he only harvested five sacks of maize from his four-acre farm after his crops were destroyed by fall armyworms.

According to him, before the maize matured the pests attacked and almost destroyed all the crops.

Agriculturalists say because of their food preferences, fall armyworm larvae can wreak havoc on a wide range of crops.