Ghana makes history on Thursday, July 25, 2024, with the commercial release of its first biotech crop, ‘The Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea’ (PBR Cowpea). It has been developed to specifically resist the Pod Borer pest, scientifically known as “Maruca vitrata”, which destroys yields by puncturing the pods.
The launch of PBR Cowpea, a new variety of black-eyed bean, follows 12 years of extensive regulatory, laboratory and field testing by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) PBR Cowpea Project – a collaboration public-private partnership coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), to promote technological interventions that will optimize cowpea productivity and utilization in sub-Saharan Africa.
Referred to as “Songotra T”, the commercial release of PBR Cowpea on Thursday was made possible following its recent approval for release and registration in Ghana for commercial cultivation by the National Seed Board. This was after the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) approved the application submitted by CSIR for the environmental release and marketing of cowpea PBR.
The release event takes place on Thursday at SARI’s premises in Nyankpala, in the Northern Region of Ghana.
CSIR is committed to cutting edge science
CSIR Director General Prof. Paul Bosu described the event as “a big day for Ghanaian agriculture and food security…, a historic and important development for African agriculture, with CSIR setting the pace and writing story… .”
In an interview, Prof. Bosu noted that CSIR has a long history of delivering the best to the nation in the field of technology development and dissemination. He stated that “Songotra T is one such technology” and therefore urged farmers to “take advantage of it to increase their pea production and thereby increase their wealth.”
The Director General pledged the commitment of CSIR and its various institutes to continue using cutting-edge science to address all challenges facing national development. He emphasized that, “in agriculture, CSIR is committed to safely use biotechnological approaches, such as genetic modification techniques, where necessary to solve food security challenges.”
He commended the director, management and research team working at PBR Cowpea for their perseverance and determination to ensure that farmers have access to the best.
Prof. Bosu also celebrated the collaboration between CSIR and its partners that resulted in the success of the PBR Cowpea Project in Ghana. Partners include: the AATF, Australia-based Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIRO), the US-based Danforth Plant Science Centre, the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) based in Zaria, Nigeria, and the Institute of Environment and Agriculture of Research (INERA). ) in Burkina Faso.
Launching Ghana’s PBR Cowpea, a dream come true
On his part, the Special Adviser to the Program on Biosecurity System (PBS) in Ghana and former Director General of CSIR, Professor Walter Alhassan, says the launch of cowpea PBR in Ghana “is a fulfillment of my long-held dream of launch of a safe biotechnology product in Ghana’.
In an interview, the visibly jubilant staunch supporter of safe biotechnology in agriculture in Africa and especially in Ghana, said: “I am excited about this development.” He recalled that work to promote the implementation of safe biotechnology in Ghana for him, started in 2005 with the focus on biosafety with the help of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS) based in Washington DC.
Professor Alhassan noted that, over the years in championing biotechnology in Ghana, he had trouble answering the farmer’s question, “Where is the product?” He was grateful that the launch event finally gave him an answer: “Now the product is here and it will definitely advance the cause of food security in Ghana.”
In a conversation with a senior researcher and entomologist, at CSIR-SARI, Nyankpala, Dr. Jerry Nboyine, who is also the current principal investigator on the PBR Cowpea Project, recounted some of the processes the implementation team had to go through.
He said the Songotra T Cowpea variety has undergone a rigorous biosecurity review and risk assessment, after which it has been approved by the National Biosafety Authority as safe for use as food and animal feed. Since biosecurity approval, it has undergone extensive field trials in all major Cowpea growing ecologies in Northern Ghana.
A file was then submitted to the National Seed Board after inspection by the National Variety Release and Registration Committee at CSIR-SARI. The Committee members were satisfied and it was approved this year (2024) to be used as a Cowpea variety for cultivation in Ghana.
Dr. Nboyine explained that PBR cowpea was developed in response to the woes of herb farmers on low yields caused by legume pod, widespread use of pesticides to protect the crop from pod, health risks to farmers and consumers as and the negative effects on the environment.
Other scientists who worked on the project were: Ms. Gloria Adazebra, Cowpea Breeder, Philip Agrengsore, Seed Scientist, Frederick Anaman, Technical Officer, Haruna K. Ali, Chief Technical Officer, Dr Francis Kusi, Principal Scientist, all of CSIR-SARI. The project was originally started under Dr. IDK Atokple, the first Principal Investigator, who handed over to Dr. Mumuni Abudulai, the second Principal Investigator.
Scientists praise Ghana
Meanwhile, scientists and scientific institutions involved in fields related to biotechnology are praising Ghana for this major advancement in agricultural biotechnology.
On behalf of the African Genetic Biocontrol Consortium, Dr. Willy Tonui congratulated Ghana for taking such a bold step towards environmental liberation of such an important crop. “This is not a modest achievement, but a result of a strong biosecurity regulatory framework put in place by the government of Ghana,” he observed in a telephone interview.
Dr. Tonui noted that the existence of a functioning National Biosafety Authority (NBA) is testimony to the commitment of the Government of Ghana to support the adoption and advancement of new biotechnologies in the country.
He hailed the CSIR-SARI research team and institutional leadership for the success story and said that having a community that also accepts new technologies is a big step towards building trust in these new technologies.
He assured Ghanaians of the safety of this new pea because internationally and regionally the scientific community has adopted sound procedures and guidelines that promote safe assessments and decision-making processes for the evaluation of GMOs.
“Consumers of this new crop should therefore feel confident that the crop is safe,” Dr Tonui added.
The Deputy Director, Administration, Teaching and Learning, West African Center for Crop Improvement (WACCI) of the University of Ghana, Dr. Daniel Dzidzienyo, hailed the development as a major milestone in the country’s agricultural biotechnology landscape.
“This step,” he said, “aligns Ghana with other African countries such as Nigeria, which have also adopted GM crops to address agricultural challenges.”
Dr. Dzidzienyo, who is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Center for Biotechnology, said the event reflected years of research and development aimed at improving crop productivity and food security through PBR beef enhanced with a gene that provides resistance to Maruca vitrata , which causes significant yield losses.
“Thus, GM cowpea promises to boost yields, reduce the need for chemical pesticides and provide economic benefits to farmers,” adding, “this is particularly important for Ghana, where cowpea is a staple food and an important source of protein.” .
Dr Dzidzienyo, however, pointed out that the launch of this new variety of cowpea requires intensive public education and dialogue to address any concerns about GM technology. He noted that “transparent communication about the benefits and safety of PBR pea will be key to gaining public trust and acceptance.”
By Ama Kudom-Agyemang