Experts Urge Bio-fortification To Address Health Problems

Agricultural experts have urgently called for countries in Eastern and Central Africa to take immediate steps to address the effects arising from the consumption of micronutrient-deficient foods, citing a dire situation that is causing serious problems. The issue, they emphasized, is resulting in stunted growth among many infants and young people, as well as leading to low immunity among affected individuals, rendering them vulnerable to diseases.   

Dr. Wellington Mulinge, Director of the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), revealed this during a meeting over the weekend, where Kenya's Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Franklin Mithika Linturi, met with staff from the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) to familiarize himself with the organization’s operations.   

Linturi is taking over from Uganda’s Frank Tumwebaze as the two-year rotational chairman of the ASARECA Council of Patron Ministers (CPM). During his presentation on the global perspective of the issue, Dr. Mulinge highlighted that Africa, particularly the ASARECA region, was faring poorly compared to other regions. He illustrated this with a map, showing North America and Europe in a comfortable position, while South America and most Asian countries were significantly improving, leaving sub-Saharan Africa in the "Yellow" zone, representing a very concerning situation.  

According to the expert, addressing the problem requires ensuring that the population consumes foods rich in all necessary nutrients. However, poverty in the region often leads to a trade-off between quantity and quality of food. The lacking nutrients, including vitamins and iron, are readily available in foods such as meat and liver, but these are often unaffordable for the population.   

He suggested that food fortification could be a solution, either through industrial means or biologically. While the former has its challenges, which he did not elaborate on, Dr. Mulinge proposed that bio-fortification through genetic engineering of food crops could be a better solution.  

This technology would enhance crop capacity to absorb the required nutrients from the soil during growth, resulting in fortified produce of higher quality for consumption. "We need to increase biologically engineered varieties with those vitamins and other micro-nutrients," Dr. Mulinge emphasized.  The Kenyan expert explained that while the technology is available in his country, its rollout is hindered by a lack of government policy. Additionally, there is opposition to this technology, particularly from civil society groups. 

Enock Warinda, ASARECA Executive Director, proposed dropping the term "GMO" to reduce resistance while simultaneously launching an awareness campaign.   Dr. Mulinge stressed that Africa should learn from South America in a spirit of south-to-south cooperation, and regional ministers should advocate for a favorable bio-fortification framework, including the development and transfer of varieties across nations in the region.   

Cabinet Secretary Linturi pledged to support ASARECA's efforts, including bio-fortification, as one of the organization's four flagship programs. The other programs include promoting regional centers of excellence for agricultural transformation, scaling technologies to reduce aflatoxin contamination in the food chain, and fast-tracking the digitization of agricultural systems.  

Linturi assured that he would mobilize member governments and development partners to establish a Regional Agricultural Innovation Fund to finance large-scale projects and ensure an enabling policy environment to enhance productivity, resilience, and the transfer of technologies to address nutrition and food insecurity in the region.   

Julian Barungi, the organization’s Program Officer for Policy, urged Linturi to lobby fellow ministers in the region to prioritize ASARECA's role in technical matters. Barungi noted that many member countries prioritize sub-regional economic bloc efforts over ASARECA's expertise and knowledge in scientific, policy, and market research and coordination.   

The officer emphasized the need for patron ministers to engage with their governments to foster a harmonized working relationship and synergy with sub-regional blocs, including the East African Community (EAC), Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

ASARECA brings together fifteen countries in the region, including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Madagascar, South Sudan, and Sudan, to promote scientific research for food safety, security, and sustainability. 

Operating in collaboration with member governments, farmers, and development partners, the twenty-year-old organization relies on membership contributions, fees, and donor support, although several member states fall short of fulfilling their financial obligations.