Ghana’s first genetically modified crop – pod borer resistant cowpea — is poised to address widespread protein deficiency challenges

A Senior Research Scientist with the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) says Ghana’s first genetically modified crop – the pod borer resistant cowpea (beans), will help the country deal with protein deficiency challenges among the population.

Dr Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw believes the variety will offer the country many benefits when it is eventually approved for the benefit of farmers and consumers.

“In a lot of places, being able to buy fish or meat is a challenge, so more beans will help ensure more proteins for the people,” he observed.

“If it is well managed and well farmed, it could help a lot of people move away from poverty,” he added.

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The pod borer resistant cowpea (PBR cowpea), as it is called, helped farmers cut down pesticide use on their farms by up to 80% during field trials supervised by scientists from SARI.

The resistance results from introducing a gene from a naturally occurring bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis, to control the pest.

This is an excerpt. Read the original post here.