Research scientist allays fears of Ghanaians over GM foods 

A Research Scientist and Plant Breeder, Reverend Professor Hans Adu-Dapaah, has  given the assurance that there are no Genetically Modified foods produced in Ghana as such the consuming public must stay calm. 

According to him, Ghana is still working on confined field trials of three GMO crops namely Rice, Cowpea and Cotton to determine their suitability for commercial production. 

Speaking on the subject at a forum in Kumasi, Rev. Prof. Adu-Dapaah emphasized the fact that the technology has the potential to positively change agricultural production in Ghana at a time the negative impact of climate change, use of agro chemicals and population explosion are seriously threatening food security globally. 

Reverend Prof. Adu-Dapaah, who is also the immediate past Director of the Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, spoke on the topic.

He said indequate information is mainly the cause of the uninformed perception about the health, safety and security implications of genetically modified organisms, especially the food crops and sustainability of seed production.

He indicated that GMO is not the panacea for all problems in agricultural production. 

Reverend Prof. Adu-Dapaah said what Ghana needs now is an honest, open and candid debate and public education about the scientific approach to agric production so as to bring out the main issues of concern for clarification. 

During an open forum, the participants including those who had earlier objected to the GMO technology commended the Research Scientist for the objectivity with which he tackled the subject which they noted, had helped to dispel their fear. 

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