U.S. Promotion of Ag Biotech in Ghana

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U.S. Promotion of Ag Biotech in Ghana has included "international technical assistance (including from USAID) in drafting a Biosafety Bill.[1] In May 2008, Ghana passed a "Biosafety Legislative Instrument" that allowed field trials of biotech crops, but - as of January 2010 - Ghana still did not allow the commercialization of GMOs. At that time, the U.S. embassy in Accra, Ghana requested funding to bring a U.S. expert in biotechnology to Ghana to speak in favor of agricultural biotechnology.

2010 Proposal for Biotech Outreach Funds

In 2010, the U.S. Embassy in Accra, Ghana requested $13,700 in biotech outreach funds from the U.S. State Department.[2] The money was requested to fund a one-week public speaking visit to Ghana of a U.S. expert on agricultural biotechnology. A leaked cable describes the proposed visit as follows:[3]

"Given that the current biotech state of play in Ghana is similar to that in Nigeria, where a U.S. biotech speaker was successfully programmed in FY 2009 (Ref B), we believe that a U.S. biotechnology expert could meaningfully engage with government officials and legislators, academics, public audiencies, and the media about the merits of agricultural biotechnology. We anticipate that a U.S. expert could visit for one week and engage with Ghanaian audiences in Accra (two days), Kumasi (two days) and Tamale (one day), which are located in key growing regions. ¶8. We would work with Ghana's National Biosafety Committee to program the U.S. expert speaker, as well as with other local expert groups in Ghana, including biotechnology experts at the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), which is based in Accra, and at Ghana's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). In Accra, the speaker could engage with executive and legislative branch officials on the merits of biotechnology. In addition, the visit coul include local radio and TV interviews, and a media roundtable event at which journalists could interact with the U.S. expert. Media events may also include local Ghanaian agricultural specialists, in order to encourage a healthy debate on the subject of biotechnology and how advanced science could help Ghana more effectively deal with issues of food security and the likely impact on farming from climate change. The visit may also include an embassy-hosted event at which government and legislative decision-makers could interact with biotechnology and agricultural experts. There could also be public speaking events at FARA, CSIR, the University of Ghana in Accra, the Kwami Nkrumah University of Science & Technology in Kumasi, and the University for Development Studies in Tamale."

The Embassy points of contact for this proposal were Regional Environment, Science and Technology Officer Aaron Fishman, Agricultural Attache Ali Abdi, and USAID Ghana Agricultural Adviser John Mullenax.

At the time of the proposal, the U.S. Embassy in Accra, Ghana made the following estimation about GMOs in Ghana:

"While public opinion remains divided, some biotech products are already being sold in Ghana. In addition, genetically modified cotton and other crops, which are grown in Burkina Faso (Ghana's northern neighbor), may already be growing in Northern Ghana, or these seeds will soon migrate to and be grown in that region of the country. While current law allows for field trials of biotech crops, no experimental fields are currently under cultivation, as far as we are aware, though some U.S. companies have begun the procsses of requesting permission to engage in such trials in country."[4]

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References

  1. ↑ Proposal For U.s. Biotech Speaker To Visit Ghana In Fy 2010, U.S. State Department cable via Wikileaks, January 20, 2010.
  2. ↑ Proposal For U.s. Biotech Speaker To Visit Ghana In Fy 2010, U.S. State Department cable via Wikileaks, January 20, 2010.
  3. ↑ Proposal For U.s. Biotech Speaker To Visit Ghana In Fy 2010, U.S. State Department cable via Wikileaks, January 20, 2010.
  4. ↑ Proposal For U.s. Biotech Speaker To Visit Ghana In Fy 2010, U.S. State Department cable via Wikileaks, January 20, 2010.

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