Burkina Faso: The US agro-chemical company Monsanto has started conducting trials on genetically modified cotton in Burkina Faso, the first such tests in west Africa, officials said.
The trials started in late June and are part of a research agreement signed between the company and the government.
The tests involve Bollgard II, the second-generation of insect-protected cotton developed by Monsanto. A company official said trials were being carried out also in Egypt.
Monsanto has planted Bollgard II in two research stations in Burkina Faso, which is west Africa's second biggest cotton producer after Mali.
The trials aim to assess the viability of the BT strain, measure the effect on yield per hectare and any environmental risks. "Burkinabe farmers have a lot to gain because BT cotton, which is insect-protected, allows them to reduce the use of pesticides and the risk of contamination of the environment," a company official said. - (Reuters)