Practical Problem with Science-Policy Interface
I hope to use the Three Sisters Companion Gardening Technology to increase the income and food security of families working in the Ugandan rock quarries. The Three Sisters Gardening technique requires that participants understand the Three Sisters Gardening planting strategy as well as corn and squash "hand pollination" procedures. It is my understanding that a lack of pollinators is causing a lot of agriculture productivity problems for small Ugandan farmers. You can look at their corn or watermelons and in 5 seconds determine if the corn or watermelon is being pollinated properly. Hand pollination procedures can help solve the pollination problems. Hand pollination may be "new technology" to extremely poor Ugandan farmers.
It took me awhile, but I now understand why I can't get the seed supplies I need to help small farmers stop starvation in Uganda. Initially I noted that most African countries have a very limited number of seed suppliers and that these seed suppliers sold a very limited number of products. I also was told by Ugandan personnel that they wanted to use only non-GMO seeds.
After a little investigation I determined that African countries sell most of their vegetables in the European market and Europeans wanted to buy only non-GMO products. They noted that it is very difficult to distinguish between a GMO seed product and a non-GMO seed product. Most African countries limit the number of seed companies in their country and limit the import of seeds into their country to ensure that they are selling only non-GMO products.
It also is very difficult and expensive to get an Import Permit to import seeds into an African country even when you are importing seeds that have been declared to be non-GMO by a US grower such as those at Seed Saver Exchange. I must use only the seeds that are available in Uganda unless I want to spend more than two years to get the proper Import Permit and Phytosanitary certification. I may need to wait a few years to obtain non-GMO, non-Hybrid green pole bean seeds or non-GMO, non-Hybrid corn seeds with strong stalks in Uganda if I am lucky. These seeds are very common in other parts of the world including Europe.
To counter this lack of seed availability I am focusing on methods for increasing production of small Ugandan farmers that do not rely on improved seeds. I am focusing on the use of "Hand Pollination" of corn, squash, and watermelons. Hand pollination can significantly improve the small farmer production of corn, squash, and watermelons in regions that lack insect pollinators (bees) including parts of Uganda.
Ugandan women and children working in the Kampala rock quarries do not have the food security and income that they could have. Ugandan officials are implementing a seed policy that goes well beyond what European and International personnel are recommending. European and International personnel do not want to see Ugandan women and children suffer due to an over-the-top application of a seed policy that the international community has advocated.
I hope that the Uganda State Trade Association officials will work with the FAO, the Ugandan Government and Ugandan university personnel to solve this problem before poor Ugandan women and children suffer additional unnecessary food shortages
Here is an argument for not using GMO seeds
https://grain.org/article/entries/427-twelve-reasons-for-africa-to-reject-gm-crops
Here is an argument for using GMO seeds
https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/10-things-everyone-should-know-about-gmos-in-africa/
Here is my understanding of why African nations are reluctant to use GMO seeds
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/07/why-is-africa-reluctant-to-use-gmo-crops/
Dr. Paul Rigterink