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90% of readers believe that mobile technology and increasing online access make social media an ideal platform for attracting younger generations of South Africans to SET fields of study. |
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5% of readers say they are not sure. |
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5% of readers say that this time and money could be better spent on outreach projects. |
Exoplanet extraordinaire… Only a few weeks into the new year and already four new exoplanets have been discovered. An exoplanet is a planet that orbits a star in a solar system other than that of the earth. It looks as though 2012 is going to be a year filled with discovery.
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OUT AND ABOUT
Biotechnology changes the future of farming
By Melissa Gopaul, project officer, Public Understanding of Biotechnology
As part of the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) involvement in the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project, the Public Understanding of Biotechnology (PUB) team recently met with farmers in the Western Cape to discuss the pros and cons of biotechnology in order to help the farmers to make informed decisions.
In late November last year, the PUB team journeyed to the remote little town of Ebenhaezer, a few kilometres from Lutzville in the Western Cape. The team was invited to profile the PUB programme at the ARC’s public engagement campaign. The ARC works with a number of African and international companies on the WEMA project, which includes African countries like Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda.
Droughts are one of the main natural disasters faced by African farmers producing viable crops and maize (staple crops). When droughts affect a country’s yield they also affect food prices, security and supply, which ultimately lead to famine, starvation and death. As a result, producing drought-tolerant crops using genetic engineering has become a key focus area of agricultural research worldwide.
ARC is currently conducting research on creating these genetically modified (GM) maize crops and soon, the resulting seeds will be planted on ARC-owned land in Lutzville. The idea has been met with opposition from the Ebenhaezer and Lutzville communities as well as local anti-GM groups. The public engagement campaign was therefore initiated to create awareness and understanding of the science that underpins the concept of genetic modification.
A total of 66 farmers and members of the community attended the event at the Ebenhaezer community hall in November, to hear inputs from ARC scientists and Biosafety SA. PUB also solicited the help of Bianke Barnard, who has completed her Master’s degree in biotechnology, to explain the concept of genetic modification to the farmers in their home languages. The local farmers responded positively to the talks, which in turn led to lively discussion and debate.
The PUB programme takes a neutral stance on the science of biotechnology and provides all the relevant information on the matter. People often fear the unknown, which is why PUB strives to enlighten and empower farmers with knowledge. This will enable them to understand science in a more practical way and make informed decisions that can work to their advantage.
The PUB team’s future plans include working with the ARC on a science translation workshop for media and WEMA project scientists in 2012.