Izinto Ezahlukeneyo—Zibalulekile Ukuze Ubomi Buqhubeke

KWIMINYAKA yee-1840, abemi baseIreland bathi kratya ngaphaya kwezigidi ezisibhozo, nto leyo eyenza elo laba lelona lizwe lixineneyo eYurophu. Okona kutya kwakuphambili yayiziitapile, yaye olona hlobo lwalulinywa kakhulu lolo lubizwa ngokuba ziilumpers.

Ngowe-1845 abalimi batyala iilumper zabo njengesiqhelo, kodwa zabethwa ngumtshaza zaza zaphela phantse zonke. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The Last Harvest—The Genetic Gamble That Threatens to Destroy American Agriculture uPaul Raeburn wabhala wathi: “Inxalenye enkulu yeIreland yakwazi ukusinda kuloo nyaka wawunzima. Kwazokuba nzima kunyaka olandela lowo. Abalimi babengenakwenza ngakumbi ngaphandle kokulima kwaezo tapile. Zazingekho ezinye. Waphinda watsho ngamandla umtshaza, ngoku sele usitsho ngezithonga ezivakalayo. Kwakunzima ngendlela engathethekiyo.” Ababhali-mbali baqikelela ukuba abantu abafikelela kwisigidi babulawa yindlala, ngoxa esinye isigidi esinesiqingatha salinikela umva elo, uninzi lwabo lusiya eUnited States. Abasalayo baswantsuliswa yindlala.

KwiAndes eMzantsi Merika, abalimi batyala iindidi ezahlukeneyo zeetapile, yaye zaba mbalwa ezibethwa ngumtshaza. Ngenxa yoko, akazange abekho lo bhubhani. Licacile elokuba, ukubakho kweendidi ezahlukeneyo zezinto kuyakhusela. Ukutyala isilimo esinye akukhuselekanga yaye kuchanaba izityalo kwizifo okanye izinambuzane, zinto ezo ezinokuvuthulula sonke isivuno sommandla lowo. Yiyo loo nto abalimi abaninzi bexhomekeke kakhulu kwizibulala-zinambuzane, izinto zokubulala ukhula, nezokuphelisa ukungunda, nangona loo machiza edla ngokuba yingozi kwimeko-bume.

Ngoko kutheni abalimi betyala isilimo esinye endaweni yezilimo ezininzi zasekuhlaleni? Ngokuqhelekileyo kungenxa yeengxaki zezoqoqosho. Ukulima isilimo esinye kwenza kube lula ukuvuna, kusenza sibe nomtsalane isilimo eso, siyakwazi ukuxhathisa ukonakala, yaye imveliso iba ninzi. Le ndlela yaqalisa ukusetyenziswa kakhulu kwiminyaka yee-1960 ngexesha loko kwabizwa ngokuba yinkqubela kwezolimo.

Inkqubela Kwezolimo

Ngoncedo lwephulo likarhulumente nokuncedisana, abalimi kwiindawo ezithwaxwa yindlala beyiselwa ukuba balime iinkozo ezivelisa kakhulu, ingakumbi irayisi nengqolowa. Ezi nkozo “zimangalisayo” kwathiwa sisicombululo sendlala ehlabathini. Kodwa zazingekho phantsi ngexabiso—izithole zixabisa ngokuphindwe kathathu kunexabiso eliqhelekileyo. Neziqhamo zixhomekeke kakhulu kwimichiza, kuquka izichumiso, singasathethi ngezixhobo zexabiso ezifana neetrekta. Sekunjalo, ngoncedo lwenkxaso-mali karhulumente yahambela phambili inkqubela kwezolimo. URaeburn uthi: “Ngoxa iye yakhusela izigidi kwindlala, ngoku ibeka esichengeni ukukhuseleka kokutya kwehlabathi.”

Enyanisweni, inkqubela kwezolimo isenokuba ibangele isiqabu sokwexeshana, kodwa idale umonakalo ohlala uhleli. Ukulinywa kwezityalo ezifanayo kwakhawuleza kwaxhaphaka kuwo onke amazwekazi—ngoxa ukusetyenziswa kakhulu kwezichumiso kwabangela ukukhula kokhula, kwaye nezibulala-zinambuzane ziye zabulala izinambuzane eziluncedo. Kumasimi erayisi, imichiza enetyhefu yabulala iintlanzi, iinqonci, oononkala, amasele, nohlaza nezityalo zasendle eziluncedo—uninzi lwazo zikukutya okubalulekileyo. Imichiza yakwabangela ukuba abalimi babe sengozini yetyhefu.

Omnye umfundisi-ntsapho kwiBiology Department of the Open University eUnited Kingdom, uGqr. Mae-Wan Ho, wabhala wathi: “Ngoku alithandabuzeki elokuba ukutyalwa kohlobo olunye lwezilimo okwaqalwa ngexesha ‘leNkqubela Kwezolimo’ kuye kwabuchaphazela kakhulu ubukho bezinto ezahlukeneyo nokukhuseleka kokutya ehlabathini lonke.” Ngokutsho kweUN Food and Agriculture Organization, ama-75 ekhulwini eembewu ezahlukeneyo ebezisezityalweni kwinkulungwane edluleyo akasekho xa kungoku, ubukhulu becala ngenxa yendlela olwenza ngayo ushishino lwezolimo.

Iphephandaba elapapashwa yiWorldwatch Institute lilumkisa ngelithi “zinkulu gqitha iingozi esizibeka kuzo ngokutyala uhlobo olunye lwesityalo.” Zinokulawulwa njani ezi ngozi? Kufuneka kubekho izazinzulu zezolimo nemichiza eluncedo kuze kuxhaswe abalimi ngezimali. Noko ke, akukho siqinisekiso sokuba le meko iya kulunga. Ukubakho kwembewu efanayo kwaba negalelo kumtshaza owafumana umbona waseUnited States nokonakaliswa kweehektare ezingama-202 350 zamasimi erayisi eIndonesia. Noko ke, kwiminyaka yakutshanje, kukho inkqubela entsha kwezolimo, leyo iquka ukutshintsha kwembewu.

Ukutshintsha Kwembewu

Uhlolisiso lwembewu luye lwabangela ishishini elitsha lobugcisa kwezebhayoloji. Njengoko igama libonisa, ludibanisa ibhayoloji nobugcisa bakutshanje ngeendlela ezifana nokutshintshwa kwembewu. Ezinye zeenkampani ezintsha eziququzelela ubugcisa kwezebhayoloji, njengoko zibizwa ngolo hlobo, zijongene ubukhulu becala nezolimo yaye zibila zisoma zizama ukuxuba iimbewu ezinesivuno esikhulu, ezikwaziyo ukuxhathisa izifo, imbalela nengqele, zize zinciphise imfuneko yemichiza eyingozi. Ukuba usukelo olunjalo lunokufikelelwa, loo nto ingayingenelo gqitha. Kodwa abanye baye baxhalatyiswa zizityalo ezitshintshwe imbewu.

Incwadi ethi Genetic Engineering, Food, and Our Environment ithi: “Iimbewu ezahlukeneyo ziveliswa phantsi kwemiqathango ethile. Uhlobo oluthile lwerozi lunokudityaniswa nolunye uhlobo lwerozi, kodwa irozi ayinakuze idityaniswe netapile. . . . Kwelinye icala, ukutshintshwa kwembewu kudla ngokuquka ukuthabatha imbewu yolunye uhlobo lwesityalo uyifake kolunye ngelokuzama ukudlulisa uhlobo oluthile lophawu oluthandekayo. Ngokomzekelo, oku kunokuthetha ukukhetha imbewu enokubangela ukuveliswa komchiza othintela ukukhenkceka osuka kwintlanzi yasearctic (njengeflounder) uyidibanise netapile okanye iqunube ukuze likwazi ukunyamezela ingqele. Ngoku kunokwenzeka ukuba izityalo zitshintshwe ngembewu ethatyathwa kwiintsholongwane, izinambuzane, izilwanyana okanye ebantwini.”a Ngoko ke, lilonke, ubuchule kwezebhayoloji buvumela abantu ukuba bavale umsantsa obangelwa kukwahluka kweembewu phakathi kweendidi zezinto.

Kanye njengenkqubela kwezolimo, oko kubizwa njengokutshintshwa kwembewu kuye kwanegalelo kwingxaki yokungafani kwembewu—abanye bathi zinegalelo kakhulu kuba iingcali ngembewu zinokusebenzisa ubugcisa obunjengokudityaniswa kweeseli nokusebenzisa izicwili, ndlela ezo ezivelisa izinto ezifana ncam, izithole. Noko ke, kusaxhalatyelwe ukukhukuliswa kwezityalo ezahlukeneyo. Noko ke, izityalo ezitshintshwe imbewu zibangela sixhalabele ukuba zinokuba nento eziyenzayo kuthi nakwimeko-bume. Umbhali wenzululwazi uJeremy Rifkin wathi: “Singoodludla-nazo abanethemba lokuba ubugcisa bebhayoloji busiphathele lukhulu kwezolimo, abuzi kusibamba ndawo, singaqondi kakuhle ukuba buya kusiphosa phi ekugqibeleni.”b

Kwelinye icala, ukukwazi ukutshintsha imbewu kuyimana ethile, ngoko nguwashiywa nowashiywa nkampani nganye izama ukutshintsha imbewu entsha. Okwangoku, izityalo aziyekanga ukubhanga nazo. Njengoko kukhankanywe ngaphambilana, ukuze kupheliswe le ngxubakaxaka, abanye oorhulumente namanye amaziko abucala aye aseka oovimba bembewu. Ngaba aba vimba banokwenza ukuba izizukulwana ezizayo zibe neembewu ezininzi zokulima zize zivune?

Oovimba Bembewu—Ngaba Basisiqinisekiso Sokuba Izityalo Azisayi Kuphela?

IRoyal Botanic Gardens yaseKew, eNgilani, iye yazinikela kwiphulo elibizwa “njengelona likhulu lolondolozo elakha lakho ehlabathini”—iMillennium Seed Bank Project. Iinjongo eziphambili zeli phulo (1) kukuqokelela lize lilondoloze i-10 ekhulwini—ngaphezu kwama-24 000 eendidi—ezityalo ezinembewu zehlabathi ngowama-2010 kwakunye (2) nokuthi kwanangaphambi koko, kuqokelelwe kuze kulondolozwe imbewu kuzo zonke izityalo ezinembewu zaseUnited Kingdom. Kukwakho namanye amazwe aye aqulunqa oovimba bembewu.

Isazi ngebhayoloji uJohn Tuxill uthi ubuncinane ama-90 ekhulwini ezigidi zembewu ezigcinwe koovimba bembewu zikukutya okuxabisekileyo nezityalo eziluncedo, njengengqolowa, irayisi, umbona, amazimba, iitapile, amatswele, iikonofile, ummoba, umqhaphu, iimbotyi zesoya, nezinye iindidi zeembotyi, xa sikhankanya ezimbalwa. Kodwa iimbewu zisebenziseka kuphela logama zisenamandla ngaphakathi. Ngoko bathembeke kangakanani oovimba bembewu?

Iingxaki Zoovimba

Oovimba bembewu badla imali—ngonyaka besidla malunga nee-R2,4 zamawaka ezigidi, ngokutsho kukaTuxill. Noko ke, neli nani lisenokuba alichananga kuba uthi, “i-13 ekhulwini lembewu egcinwe koovimba likwindawo ekhuselekileyo, nenokuligcina ithuba elide.” Ngenxa yokuba imbewu engagcinwanga kakuhle ingahlali ixesha elide, ifanele ikhawuleze ilinywe ukuze kuvunwe iimbewu zamaxesha azayo; ngapha koko, iimbewu ziyonakala koovimba bazo. Kambe ke, loo msebenzi ufuna abasebenzi abaninzi, nto leyo eyenza izinto zibe mbi ngakumbi kwiindawo ezingenamali.

Incwadi ethi Seeds of Change—The Living Treasure ithi iNational Seed Storage Laboratory yaseColorado eUnited States, iye “yaneengxaki ezininzi, eziquka ukumka kwamandla ombane, ukwaphuka kwezibandisi, nokungabikho kwabasebenzi abaneleyo, nto leyo eshiye inkumbula yembewu yonakele.” Kwakhona oovimba bembewu basengozini yezidubedube zezobupolitika, ukudodobala kwezoqoqosho neentlekelo zokwemvelo.

Ukugcina izinto ixesha elide kubangela nezinye iingxaki. Xa zilinywe kwindawo yazo izityalo ziyakwazi ukumelana naloo meko, yaye loo nto izenza zikwazi ukumelana nezifo nezinye izinto. Kodwa xa zikhuselwe kuvimba wembewu, zisenokuthi emva kwexesha elithile zibe ethe-ethe. Noko ke, imbewu yezinye izityalo egcinwe kakuhle isenokuhlala kangangeenkulungwane ngaphambi kokuba kufuneke iphinde ilinywe. Phezu kwako nje ukusikelwa umda okulolo hlobo nokungaqiniseki, ubukho nje boovimba bembewu bubonisa inkxalabo ekhoyo ngekamva lezityalo ezikukutya koluntu.

Kambe ke, eyona ndlela yokuphelisa ukuphela kwezityalo kukukhusela indawo ezihlala kuyo kuze kubuyiselwe izityalo ezahlukeneyo. Kodwa uTuxill uthi ukuze yenzeke loo nto, kufuneka “siphinde sakhe ulungelelwano phakathi kweemfuno zoluntu nezo zezinto zendalo.” Noko ke, kusengqiqweni kangakanani ukucinga ukuba abantu ‘baya kuphinda bakhe ulungelelwano’ nezinto zendalo ngoxa besilwela inkqubela kwezoshishino noqoqosho ngokuzimisela okukhulu? Kwanezolimo, njengoko sele sibonile, zithe swii zezobugcisa, ziphenjelelwa lushishino olukhulu. Kumele ukuba sikho esinye isicombululo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Ngaba Abalimi—‘Basecicini Lokuphela’?

Ulindixesha iWorld Watch uthi: “Ukususela ngowe-1950, inani labantu abasebenza kwezolimo liye lehla kuzo zonke ezoshishino, kweminye imimandla lihle ngaphezu kwama-80 ekhulwini.” Ngokomzekelo, iUnited States inabalimi abambalwa kunamabanjwa. Kutheni ezolimo zishiywa kangaka?

Ezona nkalo ziphambili kukuhla kwengeniso, ukunyuka kwamatyala, indlala, nokwanda kokusetyenziswa koomatshini. Ngowe-1910, abalimi baseUnited States babefumana malunga neesenti ezingama-40 kwidola nganye echithwa ngabathengi ekutyeni, kodwa ngowe-1997, imali efunyanwa ngabalimi yehla yaya kufika kwiisenti ezisi-7. IWorld Watch ithi, umlimi wengqolowa, “ufumana iisenti ezi-6 zedola nganye ekuthengwa ngayo isonka.” Loo nto ithetha ukuba abathengi bahlawula abalimi imali elinganayo naleyo bahlawulela ngayo iphepha lokusongela isonka. Kumazwe asakhasayo, abalimi batsala nzima gqitha. Umlimi waseOstreliya okanye owaseYurophu usenokuboleka imali ebhankini aze akwazi ukulungisa izinto xa unyaka ubungemhlanga; kodwa umlimi waseNtshona Afrika usenokungakwazi ukwenza loo nto. Usenokungaveli nangonwele.

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 7]

“Ukutyalwa kohlobo olunye lwezilimo okwaqalwa ngexesha ‘leNkqubela Kwezolimo’ kuye kwabuchaphazela kakhulu ubukho bezinto ezahlukeneyo nokukhuseleka kokutya ehlabathini lonke.”—UGqr. Mae-Wan Ho

[Inkcazelo]

Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo (CIMMYT)

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 8]

IMillennium Seed Bank, eNgilani, ilondoloza iimbewu ezibalulekileyo zezityalo

[Inkcazelo]

© Trustees of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew