In this week’s Week in Review, you’ll find an excellentvideo report on the World Food Prize and African countries’ views of GM crops by one of our Ghanaian fellows, Adelaide Arthur.

You’ll also find articles on how policies affect the use of plant genetic resources and discussions of GMO safety, as reported by SciDev.net.

In Uganda, B4FA Media Fellow Francis Kagolo reports on new banana varieties being developed with the use of biotechnology to fight against viruses and harmful nematodes.

Please find many other fascinating articles from B4FA’s Media Fellows in Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda below, as well as news from other sources.

If you have any questions/comments about our ‘Week in Review’ or would like to share articles, please contact Molly Hurley-Depret at [email protected].

Biosciences and Plant Genetics

Farmers dig into soil quality – Analytical technique promises to match fertilizers to soil in bid to boost yields in Africa
Nature

Rifts emerge in scientists’ views on safety of GMOs
SciDev.net

PRRI and farmers organisations express concerns about EU GMO policies and regulations
PRRI – Public Research and Regulation Initiative

Africa Rice Congress Ends with Call for Increased Investment, Benefits for Smallholders
Certain Policies Affect the Use of Plant Genetic Resources, Study Reveals
Crop Biotech Update

Africa Week Recognizes Development, Governance Progress
IISD

Ghana

Farmers sensitized on biotechnology in agriculture
GNA

Nigeria

Endorsing GM Crops
Nigerian News World, by B4FA Media Fellow Kenneth Azahan

Nigeria expresses readiness to embrace agricultural biotechnology
BusinessDay, by B4FA Media Fellow Akinwunmi Kole-Dawodu

Tanzania

More countries endorse genetically engineered crops
The Guardian, by B4FA Media Fellow Daniel Semberya

AUDIO: The importance of Tanzania using genetic modification (in Swahili)
By Alex Mchomvu
Summary in English: 
The programme discusses agricultural bioscience and focuses on the advantages of GMOs to improve the agricultural sector
Source of the program: Bayda Daniel, the student on Agricultural development and policy making at St Augustine University of Tanzania.
Rogathe Robert Gr, the agricultural expert and policy making.

The sector of agriculture in Africa, especially the sub-Sahara Africa has been deteriorating and performing poorly. Climate change and prolonged drought periods pose a huge challenge for developing the sector. Farmers losses and poverty are at alarming rates. However, there are several ways employed by the government and private sector to combat these problems and enhance the performance of the sector, especially the introduction of GMOs and the application of agricultural biotechnology.
The following is the overview of the radio program discusses and advises on the applications of biotechnology and GMOs as they relates to the improvement of the sector and to the farmers.

In the episode 1, the radio program discusses on the advantages and the challenges of GMOs to the sector of agriculture and the general perception of farmers to the use of GMOs. It also reviews how the future of the agriculture sector might look when the application of GMOs are effectively applied. It discusses the underlying myths concerning the applications and use of GMO’s to farming activities. Also, the program discusses on the benefits of GMOs and how it helps in adaptation to climate change and increasing the outputs. The genetically modified plants can be resistant to diseases and/or withstand adverse weather conditions. They have potential benefits to African farmers.

Uganda

Kawanda develops wilt resistant banana varieties
New Vision, by B4FA Media Fellow Francis Kagolo

When good intentions put farmers in a dilemma
The Monitor, by William Odinga Balikuddembe

AUDIO: East African seed trade and development
UBC, by B4FA Media Fellow Sarah Natoolo

Anti-GM activist forced to drop bribery allegations against MPs
Sunrise