Enhance biotechnology agricultural and environmental science - scientists
A scientist inspects a banana garden.
The general thinking that biotechnology application used by scientists is applied in agricultural science has been disproved by scientists because there is biotechnology application in health science as well as environmental science.
Dr Yonna Baguma, the deputy general director in charge of research coordination at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) in a paper highlighting issues of biotechnology research and development in Uganda pointed out that biotechnology became prominent in Uganda around 1993.
This was when the Department of Animal Science in the Faculty of Agriculture at Makerere University proposed to test a transgenic growth hormone for increased milk production in Ugandan cattle.
This was at the time the United States of America and the European Union (EU) were engaged in debate over trade on genetically modified organisms.
Later in 1993, the EU suspended the sale of the hormone making scientists at MAK to halt the research.
Dr Baguma points that in 1995, a proposal was made to conduct phase 1 clinical trial of HIV vaccine referred to as ALVAC vCP 205.
It was the first preventative HIV-1 vaccine study in Uganda which led to the formulation of national biosafety guidelines, leading to the establishment of a National Biosafety Committee in 1996.
Later, in April 2008, government passed a national biotechnology and biosafety policy for Uganda.
To date, research into biotechnology continues and remains strategic for Uganda ranging from laboratory-based investigations of genes conferring resistance to pathogens, drought and other biotic and abiotic stresses, to field trials of transgenic crop like banana, cotton, maize, Irish potato and cassava.
Other works include ongoing research of animal vaccines and improved diagnostic tools for respiratory disease of cattle, Newcastle disease, East Coast Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) among others.
In the health sector, molecular markers are being used to study characterization of drug resistance, especially resistance to anti-malarial drugs, anti-tuberculosis drugs and antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS.
In the field of environment, genetic markers are being developed to characterize various species of wildlife including elephants, hippopotamus, buffalos and wild pigs
A case in point is where a team of scientists from Makerere University College of Natural Sciences led by Prof. Charles Masembe are carrying out a study in understanding transmission of African Swine Fever in pigs and possibility of coming up with vaccines to eradicate the same in the district of Nwoya in Northern Uganda where Murchison National Park is located.
Wild pigs
The scientists sampled wild pigs from the Game Park and ticks from the wild in the soil where the virus was prevalent. They examine the spleen of wild pigs and domesticated ones to establish existence of the virus
Dr Stephen Buah programme leader of Banana fortified with vitamin A research at the National Research Laboratories (NaRL) in Kawanda during a recent Open Forum for Agriculture Biotechnology (OFAB) meeting in Kampala noted that the breakthrough that laid the groundwork for modern biotechnology came when the structure of DNA was discovered in the early 1950s.
Scientists are now using this technology in Medical and health care applications, Environmental applications and Agricultural applications for animals and crops.
In explaining the history of biotechnology usage, he noted that mankind has been using it in a rudimentary form since ancient brewers began using yeast cultures to make beer, wine, bread, yoghurt and antibiotics.
A case in point for Uganda where scientists are using artificial media to grow products like in Naro research institutes and private enterprises where banana plantlets are multiplied using tissue culture.
At the animal breeding centre in Entebbe, hybrid cattle are being bred using artificial insemination which technology is being used by farmers practicing animal husbandry.
In medical and health care applications he explained saying “over 250 biotech healthcare products, 400 biotech drugs and more than 200 biotech medicines are under clinical trial in Uganda. They includenew generation tests for home pregnancy, HIV, cancer and malaria which are quicker, safer and more accurate,”
Many new treatments for diseases like diabetes, stroke, anemia, growth deficiency, rheumatoid arthritis, a disease which causes inflammation in the joints resulting in to deformity, hemophilia, a condition where long bleeding occurs, hepatitis, genital growths, leukemia and other types of cancers have been developed.
Giving examples of vaccines and drugs developed using products arising from biotechnology application, Dr Buah explains that Human Insulin developed in the year 1982 for treating Diabetes, Somatotropin developed in 1985 for treating Pituitary dwarfism, Hepatitis B vaccine developed in 1986 for immunization against hepatitis B virus, Erythropointin developed in 1988 for treating anemia, interleukin-2 developed in 1989 for treating cancer in the kidney and Gardasil developed by Australian scientists in 2006 for immunization against cervical cancer have been used widely in the medical sector for treating patients.
Giving further explanation in HB vaccine research, Dr Buah noted that “during processing stage, recombinant virus is obtained and put in a yeast cell to produce hepatitis B antigen surface coat which is purified and packaged into containers as vaccine,”
The World Health Organization estimates that there are as many as 285 million chronic carriers of HB virus worldwide who need treatment using advanced scientific innovations.
Dr Buah sites Medical products under development using biotechnology in Uganda by scientists of Makerere University Walter Reeds Project (MUWRP) which includevaccine against malaria called RTS, S/AS01 approved by WHO for pilot testing.
It has shown partial protection from Plasmodium falciparuma protozoan parasite which causes malariainfection.
This test is being carried on by health scientists in Uganda in collaboration with scientists from USA which has shown 60% promising results and more work is required.
Another one is HIV Prophylactic vaccine phase 1/2a which has shown well balanced immune response.
Ebola and Marburg vaccine tests have been ongoing and the results published by Dr Hannah Kibuuka the Director of MUWRP last yearindicate that the vaccine is safe, well-tolerated and induced antigen have immune responses.
Explaining Biotechnology in environmental science Dr Buah noted “many people believe we are in the midst of an environmental crisis.The air, soil and water bodies are getting contaminated as a result of our activities, none renewable resources are getting depleted and massive amounts of waste that don’t degrade are being generated meaning use of genetically modified microorganisms that break down industrial waste like Ammonium-oxidizing bacteria for treating waste water is required,”
At Makerere University department of Biochemistry, students and their lecturers have developed bio-based, biodegradable plastics using banana fiber and other materials. There is also need to improve technologies in the manufacturing sector focusing on reduction of the amount of waste produced. Scientists in this area are already producing enzymes used in laundry detergents.
A good number of initiatives are being implemented by various stakeholders. A case in point is where the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) is implementing solid waste management in selected districts using manual methods.
The Director National Environment Management Authority (Nema) Dr Tom Okurut in a recent Consultative meeting for environmental scientists noted that Nema is involved in working with municipals in waste management, they have managed to construct municipal compositing sites in the districts of Mukono, Jinja, Mbale, Soroti, Lira, Arua, Masindi, Hoima, Kasese, Kabale and Mbarara with capacity between 70 metric tons to 120 metric tins
Biotechnology application in Agricultural sector is more interesting because it is controversial especially modern biotechnology application.
Modern Biotechnology according to Dr Buah targets traits like agronomic characteristics, nutritional characteristics, abiotic stress resistance andbiotic stress resistance.
Its application in the agricultural sector involves characterization and better detection of diseases.
Scientists breeding crops using modern biotechnology are looking at the fact that the global population is projected to reach 9.1 billion people by 2050 and in order to provide sufficient, affordable and nutritious food, agricultural productivity must increase by 60 – 80 per cent.
Explaining the statistical data, Dr Buah says that as of 2009, the number of food insecure people globally was estimated at about 1 billion therefore there is need to improve crop yields by introducing genes that confer resistance to insects, tolerance to herbicides and resistance to environmental stresses like drought and floods, breed disease and insect-resistant trees to help meet demand for wood products.
In Uganda it is estimated that annual loss of banana caused by bacterial wilt stands at UGX 500 billion
For cassava the loss is 75 billion shillings annually as a result of Cassava brown streak virus. For maize, the loss is 10-40 per cent in farmers' field as a result of maize stalk borer associated maize stalk borer and annual loss in Shs50 billion.
Further information on banana is that about 300domesticated banana varieties are selections from the wild, meaning breeding against disease and pest resistance can only be done in the laboratory using biotechnology.
