By Leonard Masauli

Lilongwe, March 5, Mana: Most farmers in Malawi continue to face effects of climate change such as dry spell and sometimes prolonged rainfall which cause flooding in some parts of the country, damaging crops in the process.

The year 2023 marked one of the most challenging periods for Malawi, as Cyclone Freddy struck the country, causing widespread devastation to agricultural lands.

A report by Department of Disaster and Management Affairs (DODMA), Farmers suffered immensely with more than 200,000 hectares of crops getting destroyed due to Cyclone Freddy which caused havoc across the country.

In addition to the havoc wreaked by natural disasters, the persistent invasion of fall armyworms further compounds the plight of farmers, diminishing crop yields and exacerbating food insecurity across the nation.

To defeat the worms, some farmers devised traditional means of eliminating the fall army worms such as applying wet soil in the Maize leaves or a solution of pounded Chilli pepper and salt.

Despite the repelling traditional mechanisms, the worms continue to worsen and invade crops year in and year out.

One farmer in Mchinji, Robert Katumbi said aside the dry spells this year, fall army worms have also been intensely tough on crops.

He said he would have lost all his maize to the worms if he had not applied insecticides five times for a month.

“I struggled to eliminate the army worms in my maize garden. I applied insecticides three times to at least lessen their impact, but they keep coming. Luckily, I have managed to save a bigger portion of the maize crop,” said Katumbi.

The incessant invasion of the army worms coupled by other challenges has significantly led to a decline in crop yield, hence contributing to food insecurity.

Could GM crops be the solution?

However, amidst these adversities, could genetically modified (GM) crops offer a viable solution?

The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) is conducting a Confined Field Trial for Biotechnology Developed maize crop, with an aim to confirm the efficacy of Genetically Modified maize crop in line against leaf-eating insects and herbicides tolerance.

The research, according to the scientists, could be a long-lasting solution against the Fall Army Worms and dry spells and beat food insecurity.

During a visit to some of the Trials, organized by LUANAR and National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), at the University, the Trial Manager, Kingdom Kwapata said the main objective for the trials are to identify and determine whether the insect resistance particularly Fall Army worms is working for the transgenic maize plant.

Kwapata said looking at the progress, it is evident that the plants that have the Transgenes, the leaves are intact, while those that do not have their leaves have been damaged with the Fall army worms.

“The major benefit for this technology, once done and approved, is that it will increase crop yield and because of that we are also expecting a corresponding increase in incomes.

“As you know, Fall Army Worms are one of the devastating impacts for maize in the country, and now the research has demonstrated that the maize we have are resistant to insects, this is very good news to farmers and the country as a whole,” said Kwapata.

Kwapata said the research will take three to four years because after the confined trial, they will take the trials in other parts of the country to ensure the stability of the genes to see that it is performing the same way as in the confined trials so that there is uniformity across the nation.

Project Manager for Open Forum on Agriculture Biotechnology (OFAB) based in Nairobi, Kenya, Vitumbiko Chinoko, said his organization is supporting technology development particularly the modern technology like the GMO technologies.

“Climate change has significantly affected agriculture and food systems in Africa, and we see population is growing and how the food import bill in Africa is also growing, it is time Africa member states can count on the challenges on the adoption of technologies into the agricultural systems.

“Currently we see those commitments in the agricultural sector, only 10 percent is going into the science and technology and with very little on GM technologies. It is high time for Malawi to embrace these types of technologies to improve on food security,” said Chinoko. 

On negative perception about GMO foods, Chinoko said there are a lot of negative perceptions countering the integration and adoption of the technologies into food systems.

Chinoko said Africa is moving in the right direction saying several countries such as South Africa have already adopted the system and very soon Mozambique is also adopting the technologies into their food system.

“We have GMOs in South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria has commercialized maize, Ghana and Burkna Faso have both commercialized cowpeas. By doing so in these countries it means these technologies are good and they are helping farmers.

“All the perceptions and propagandas you hear about GMO foods and all the technologies that can cause cancer are false. These technologies take vigorous processes before they are accepted and given to farmers,” said Chinoko

Chief Research Officer at National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), Lyson Kampira said Biotechnology has proven the potential of tackling pests especially in maize crop which reduces yield in Malawi.

He said this is why LUANAR and NCST have commenced the Confined Field Trial to promote the technology.

“We are trying to see whether this Biotechnology can help to fight Fall Army worm in Malawi so that we can increase our crop yield.

And having visited the trial site we have seen that the maize crop under GM trial is growing very well and has not been attacked with Fall Army worm while the local variety is heavily under attack,” said Kampira.

Plant Breeder and Genetics expert at LUANAR, Professor Moses Maliro said the introduction of Genetically Modified crop such as maize, ushers in a great solution to food insecurity in the country.