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{
"id": 201663,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/201663/?format=api",
"text_counter": 123,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Prof. Olweny",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 122,
"legal_name": "Patrick Ayiecho Olweny",
"slug": "patrick-olweny"
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"content": "So, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, Mendel discovered the gene towards the end of the 19th Century. At that time, when he came up with the idea of genetic inheritance, he was insulted and abused. All kinds of things were said about him. However, in the early 20th Century, his work was rediscovered. When his work was rediscovered, the early scientists took it up. That is what led to the improvement of crops and livestock. Plant and animal breeding started immediately after the works of Mendel were rediscovered in the early 20th Century. Of course, the early work of breeding was on potatoes, maize, wheat and other major field crops and livestock. That, in a way, led to a solution to food insecurity in today's developed world. They also used to have problems of food insecurity in the early days. They did not have enough food, but it was their luck that Mendel came up with the idea of genetics. Along the line came the technology of mutagenesis, which was used in breeding. So, we had mutation breeding applied to both animals and plants. That also led to substantial or very significant improvement of the livestock and plants that we eat. That is also called genetic improvement. Instead of using the word \"improvement\", you can still use the word \"modification\", which is causing problems to people today. When you use the words, \"genetic modification,\" some people think that you are introducing chemicals. But chemicals are not genes! The people who are saying all kinds of things out there should know that chemicals are not genes! Chemicals are products of genes in the bodies of organisms. So, let them not confuse people with regard to genetic improvement. Of course, when mutagenesis was discovered, it had its fears. The gentleman who came up with it was also insulted. All kinds of abuses were hurled at him. Of course, mutagenesis had its problems, but as any other technology, if it is abused, it can be harmful. Today, mutagenesis is being used in the right way. It is being used for medicine. It is being used for crop improvement. It is being used for animal improvement. So many crop varieties arose out of mutation breeding. Those are crops such as high yielding wheat and beans varities. Even in this country, we have many varieties that are derived from mutation breeding here in our research stations, including the University of Nairobi. They are so many. That is genetic modification. Even using the mutagenesis approach is still genetic modification. You find people along the streets talking all kinds of things about genetic modification. To modify is actually to change. You can change it for the better or for worse. When you change it for the better, you use improvements. So, various crops, and even livestock, have been improved using mutation breeding across the world. I have met a number of people saying that when you use genetically modified organisms, you are going to get an animal and a plant and put them together. Genes of animals and plants have never been compatible in any organism. It has never worked! But several plants belonging to different species have been hybridised in nature and also artificially. In fact, wheat is a result of such natural hybridisation. That is two different species coming together! That is the wheat we eat! Strawberry is as a result of two different plant species that were brought together artificially by a human being. We have the strawberry which we eat today. Triticale was done the same way. That was done in Canada through plant breeding. I have never heard of animals and plants being brought together to give us an individual. There is no room for that! So, people who are peddling rumours---"
}