Improved seeds: Panacea for pests infestation, drought

By Imam Wali:

Under siege.

This best describes the situation Malawi finds itself in. On one side is the Fall Armyworm which, like an alien force, has taken the Southern African country by storm. On the other side is climate change, which has been behaving like an untamed beast—sparking a severe crisis in Malawi’s agriculture sector.

In the two enemies’ wake, livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers have been jeopardised, triggering acute hunger across the country.

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Maize, the crucial cereal crop and a key source of income for rural households, has suffered immensely due to these challenges. As climate change intensifies, the situation is only worsening, leaving farmers who rely on rain-fed agriculture in a precarious position.

In the background, another enemy— namely population growth— has been lurking. A recent National Statistical Office (NSO) report indicates that the country’s population has reached 19 million.

As the nation continues to experience population growth, attention has turned to the pressing issue of agricultural development to match the growth. Indeed, with the impending challenges posed by rampant pests and adverse climatic conditions, the search for a robust maize variety has become an urgent priority.

Ezakeal Manase— a dedicated maize farmer from Traditional Authority Kachindamoto, Dedza District, in the central region of Malawi— is grappling with the challenges of providing for his family.

Having started his farming journey at a tender age, Manase now finds himself responsible for the welfare of his four children and, yet, he solely relies on a small piece of land gifted to him by his parents.

Manase candidly reveals that the current circumstances are hostile, making it increasingly difficult for him to cope.

However, he steadfastly refuses to succumb to adversity, pledging to persevere and continue with his diligent efforts.

Manase’s story sheds light on the plight shared by numerous small-scale farmers in the region, who face daunting obstacles in their pursuit of sustenance and livelihood. Despite the uphill battle, he serves as a beacon of determination and resilience, inspiring others facing similar challenges to persist in their farming endeavours.

Manase observes that maize farming has faced challenges in recent years, one of which is the infestation of the Fall Armyworm. This infestation has had a negative impact on crop harvests. For instance, Manase mentioned that, over the past five years, he has been unable to harvest enough food for his family, resulting in starvation.

“The invasion of the Fall Armyworm has greatly affected us. Almost every year, our harvests have been decreasing, even when we use hybrid varieties. We are losing a significant portion of our crops to pests and diseases. This situation could be improved with the use of pest and disease-tolerant varieties, as well as those that can withstand drought. Otherwise, the current situation cannot ensure food security for farmers,” he explained.

He added that farmers are eagerly anticipating the introduction of new varieties that would help tackle emerging production challenges for better harvests, adding that any variety that would help farmers reduce the quantity of chemicals they spray in their fields would be welcomed. Currently, Manase says he spends K45,000 on three bottles of chemicals.

There is a high possibility that tables can turn for maize farmers in the country through the adoption of a Genetically Modified (GM) maize variety, a research product called Tela maize. The variety is being developed in Mozambique, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa and Nigeria.

According to Dr. Abel Sefasi, a lecturer at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) and Team Leader for the research, the adoption of Tela maize, and stress-tolerant varieties, could increase maize productivity in the country, thereby improving the economic status of Malawians.

The genetically modified variety is engineered to resist the Fall Armyworm, stem borers and mild drought. By being more resilient to environmental stresses, Tela maize has the potential to improve crop productivity.

Farmers can expect higher yields even in challenging conditions, which can contribute to food security and economic growth.

“Traditional maize varieties are often vulnerable to pests, diseases and climate-related uncertainties. By adopting Tela maize, farmers can mitigate these risks as genetically modified traits provide built-in protection against specific threats. This reduces crop losses and safeguards farmers’ investments,” Sefasi pointed out.

Tela Maize Project is a public-private partnership that is addressing the problem of drought in maize and destructive insects, specifically stem borers and the Fall Armyworm. Stem borers reduce maize production in several countries in Africa; and in Kenya alone, this loss averages 13 percent or 400,000 tonnes per year, equivalent to $90 million.

Similarly, there are projections that the Fall Armyworm could destroy up to 20 million metric tonnes of maize in Africa each year, enough to feed 100 million people.

The Tela Project is working towards commercialisation of transgenic drought-tolerant and insect-protected maize varieties to enhance food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sefasi stressed that smallholder farmers in Malawi could benefit from Tela maize as it provides better drought tolerance, protection against stem borers and partial but significant protection against the Fall Armyworm. As a result, smallholders will spend less money on insecticides and reduce their exposure to these chemicals, besides benefitting from improved yields and better grain quality.

“The trials in Mozambique have, so far, shown promising results and we are confident that if the crop is released, it will go a long way in addressing the nation’s deficiency in maize production. One hectare is supposed to produce 5 tonnes but, due to these challenges, they only produce a maximum of 2 tonnes,” Sefasi stressed.

His comment echoes the sentiments expressed by Dr. Kingdom Kwapatira, who stated that Malawi’s adoption of Tela maize would boost the country’s maize production and enhance self-sufficiency.

An official from National Commission for Science and Technology said the Tela varieties are bred to tolerate the moderate drought that has long plagued countries such as Malawi.

The official said the Fall Armyworm and drought can lead to total losses for maize farmers.

He, however, added that biotechnology is not a magic bullet for the country’s food crisis. To achieve food nutrition and financial security for farmers, GM should be harnessed in tandem with increased investment in irrigation, better farming methods and early warning systems to improve the resilience of farmers to climate change.

“Tela maize will revolutionise the agricultural sector when it is commercialised because it will have a positive impact on farmer’s production. Farmers will see the benefit as this will increase their profit,” he said.

“When we adopt Tela maize, Malawi will be self-sufficient in maize production, which will also improve the economy of the country,” he added.

However, if small-scale farmers in Malawi are to appreciate and adopt GM crops, there must be collective efforts to ensure that they get the correct information.

One of the agriculture experts, Dr Owen Mwamulima, said the adoption of GMO maize varieties will go a long way in addressing the problem of hunger in the country, problems attributed to the Fall Armyworm and climate change.

“Farmers in the country have suffered long enough and that has affected the whole country as development is failing to take shape because people have no food. The introduction of Tela maize would address the economic situation of farmers in the country because, in cases where the country has produced more than enough, some of it can be exported to other countries thereby earning the much needed foreign currency,” Mwamulima said.

If Tela maize is approved in the country, it will play a vital role in ending hunger and malnutrition as stimulated in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number two, which seeks to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.

It further tackles areas to do with investment, through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and livestock gene banks in order to improve capacity in developing countries, in particular least developed ones.

In 2014, the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods reaffirmed States’ commitment to the allocation of at least 10 percent of national budgetary resources to agriculture and rural development policy implementation for the period 2015 to 2025.

If GM maize is thrown into the mix, the goals are surely attainable.