Gauteng must increase maize production by 10% to 15% to meet the population’s food requirements, said Charles Manyaga, deputy director of production support and development at the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment. peaking at a smallholder farmers’ information day near Vanderbijlpark, he said that conventional farming methods no longer meet maize production requirements.
To increase production the department had provided the funds for AfricaBio to develop four Bt maize demonstration plots of 1ha each on the properties of four emergent farmers. To demonstrate yield differences, 1ha of non-Bt maize was planted alongside each of the Bt maize plots. Dr David Keetch, chairman of AfricaBio, has been conducting the trials. He said the Bt yield consistently beat the non-Bt yield by over 10%, and in some areas by as much as 50%. “If we don’t increase our production we’re going to have a food shortage,” said Dr Keetch. “The only way to increase production is through GM maize,” said Manyaga. – Hans Lombar
