Izinhlobonhlobo Zezinto—Zibalulekile Ekuphileni

NGAWO-1840, inani labantu base-Ireland lalingaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-8, okwakuyenza ibe yizwe elinabantu abaningi kakhulu eYurophu. Amazambane kwakuyikona kudla okuyinhloko, futhi uhlobo olulodwa olwalubizwa ngokuthi i-lumpers kwakuyilo olutshalwa kakhulu.

Ngo-1845 abalimi batshala i-lumpers yabo njengokujwayelekile, kodwa isifo sasishaya sasibhuqa sonke isivuno. “Abaningi e-Ireland basinda kulowo nyaka onzima,” kubhala uPaul Raeburn encwadini yakhe ethi The Last Harvest—The Genetic Gamble That Threatens to Destroy American Agriculture. “Inhlekelele yafika ngonyaka owalandela. Akukho ababengakwenza abalimi ngaphandle kokuphinde batshale wona lawo mazambane. Babengenazo ezinye izinhlobo. Isifo safika futhi, saqotha imbokodo nesisekelo. Usizi lwalungachazeki.” Izazi-mlando zilinganisela ukuthi kwafa abantu ababalelwa kwabayisigidi ngenxa yendlala, kanti abanye abayizigidi ezingu-1,5 bathutha, abaningi bathuthela e-United States. Labo ababesele bahlaselwa ubumpofu obukhulu.

Ezintabeni zase-Andes eNingizimu Melika, abalimi batshala izinhlobonhlobo zamazambane, futhi ambalwa ashaywa yisifo. Ngakho, akubanga yisibhicongo. Ngokusobala, izinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo ziyisivikelo. Ukutshala uhlobo olulodwa lwesitshalo kuphambene nale nqubo yokusinda eyisisekelo futhi kwenza izitshalo zichayeke ezifweni noma ezinambuzaneni eziwuhlupho, ezingabulala sonke isivuno sezwe. Yingakho abalimi abaningi bethembela kakhulu ekusebenziseni njalo izibulala-zinambuzane, imithi ebulala ukhula nesikhunta, nakuba amakhemikhali anjalo eyingozi endaweni ezungezile.

Pho kungani abalimi beyeka ukutshala izitshalo ezinhlobonhlobo kodwa batshale uhlobo olulodwa? Ngokuvamile ngenxa yezingcindezi zezomnotho. Ukutshala uhlobo olulodwa lwesitshalo kwenza kube lula ukuvuna, kwenza umkhiqizo ukhange, ungaboli futhi ukhiqizwe kakhulu. Lokhu kwaqala kakhulu ngawo-1960 ngokufika kokwanda kokukhiqizwa kokusanhlamvu.

Ukwanda Kokukhiqizwa Kokusanhlamvu

Ngemikhankaso emikhulu kahulumeni nezinkampani, abalimi emazweni avame ukukhungathwa indlala bagqugquzelwa ukuba batshale uhlobo olulodwa lokusanhlamvu oluthela kakhulu, ikakhulukazi ilayisi nokolo, esikhundleni sokutshala izinhlobonhlobo zezilimo. Lezi zivuno “eziyisimanga” zaphakanyiswa njengekhambi lendlala emhlabeni wonke. Kodwa zazimba eqolo—imbewu yayibiza cishe ngokuphindwe kathathu kunokuvamile. Isivuno naso sasincike kakhulu kumakhemikhali, kuhlanganise nomanyolo, kanjalo nemishini ebizayo njengogandaganda. Noma kunjalo, ngenxa yokuxhaswa ngezimali uhulumeni, kwanda ukukhiqizwa kokusanhlamvu. URaeburn uthi: “Nakuba kuye kwasindisa izigidi ekubulaweni yindlala, manje sekusongela ukulondeka kokudla komhlaba.”

Empeleni, ukwanda kokukhiqizwa kokusanhlamvu kwenza kwatholakala inzuzo ngesikhathi esincane kwabangela izingozi zesikhathi eside. Ukutshala uhlobo olulodwa lwesilimo ngokushesha kwanda kuwo wonke amazwekazi—kuyilapho ukusetshenziswa kakhulu kukamanyolo kwakuhlumisa ukhula, futhi izibulala-zinambuzane zibulala izinambuzane eziwusizo kanye nezilokazane. Emasimini elayisi, amakhemikhali anobuthi abulala izinhlanzi, izimfanzi, izinkalankala, amaxoxo namakhambi adliwayo nezitshalo zasendle—eziningi ezidliwayo. Ukuchayeka kumakhemikhali kwaholela nasekutheni abalimi bathole ubuthi.

Uthisha eMnyangweni Wesayensi Yezinto Eziphilayo e-Open University e-United Kingdom, uDkt. Mae-Wan Ho, wabhala: “Manje akungabazeki ukuthi izitshalo zohlobo olulodwa ezaqala ukuba khona kusukela ‘eKwandeni Kokukhiqizwa Kokusanhlamvu’ ziye zathiya izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo nokulondeka kokudla emhlabeni wonke.” Ngokwe-Food and Agriculture Organization ye-UN, amaphesenti angu-75 ezakhi ezinhlobonhlobo ezazikhona ezitshalweni ezazilinywa eminyakeni eyikhulu edlule manje azisekho, ngokuyinhloko ngenxa yemikhuba yokulima yezimboni.

Incwajana enyatheliswa i-Worldwatch Institute ixwayisa ngokuthi “siyibeka ezingozini ezinkulu imvelo ngokwamukela ukufana kwezakhi.” Zilawulwa kanjani lezi zingozi? Kudingeka ososayensi bezolimo namakhemikhali anamandla kanye nokuxhaswa ngezimali kwabalimi. Nokho, asikho isiqinisekiso. Ukufana kwezakhi kwabangela isifo sommbila esibhubhisayo e-United States nokucekeleka phansi kwendawo yelayisi engamahektare angu-202 350 e-Indonesia. Kodwa eminyakeni yamuva, kuye kwaqala inguquko entsha kwezolimo, ehlanganisa ukushintshwa kwezici zokuphila eziyisisekelo—izakhi zezilimo.

Inguquko Yezakhi

Ukucwaninga izakhi zofuzo kuye kwavula imboni entsha ebizwa ngokuthi i-biotechnology engenisa imali. Njengoba leli gama lisikisela, ihlanganisa isayensi yezinto eziphilayo nobuchwepheshe banamuhla ngamasu anjengokushintsha izakhi zofuzo. Ezinye zezinkampani ezintsha ze-biotech zisebenzelana ngokukhethekile nezolimo futhi zisebenza ngamandla ukuze zithole ilungelo lokuthengisa izimbewu ezithela kakhulu, ezimelana nezifo, isomiso nesithwathwa, futhi ezinciphisa isidingo samakhemikhali ayingozi. Uma imigomo enjalo ingafinyelelwa, ingaba usizo kakhulu. Kodwa abanye baye bazwakalisa ukukhathazeka ngezitshalo ezishintshwe izakhi.

“Ngokwemvelo, kunezinga elithile okugcina kulo ukwakhiwa kwezakhi ezihlukene,” kusho incwadi ethi Genetic Engineering, Food, and Our Environment. “I-rose ingahlanganiswa nolunye uhlobo lwe-rose, kodwa ngeke ize ihlanganiswe namazambane. . . . Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukushintshwa kwezakhi kuvame ukuhilela ukuthatha izakhi zenye into uzifake kwenye uzama ukudlulisela izici ezifiselekayo. Ngokwesibonelo, lokhu kungasho ukukhetha isakhi sofuzo esikhiqiza ikhemikhali emelana nokubanda enhlanzini yasezindaweni ezibandayo (njenge-flounder) usifake ezambaneni noma kumajikijolo ukuze amelane nesithwathwa. Manje sekuyenzeka ukuba izitshalo zifakwe izakhi ezithathwe emagciwaneni, ezinambuzaneni, ezilwaneni noma kubantu.”a Khona-ke, empeleni i-biotechnology ivumela abantu ukuba babhidlize udonga lwezakhi oluhlukanisa izinto ezinhlobonhlobo.

Njengokwanda kokukhiqizwa kokusanhlamvu, lokho abanye abakubiza ngokuthi inguquko yezakhi kunengxenye enkingeni yokufana kwezakhi—abanye bathi ikakhulukazi ngoba izazi zesayensi yezakhi zingasebenzisa amasu anjengokwakha into efana nsé nenye kanye nokukhulisa izicubu ezithile ngaphandle komzimba womuntu, izinqubo ezikhiqiza izinto ezifana ncamashí. Ngakho-ke, kusekhona ukukhathazeka ngokuqothulwa kwezinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo. Nokho, izitshalo ezishintshwe izakhi ziphakamisa izinkinga ezintsha, njengemiphumela ezingase zibe nayo kithi nasendaweni ezungezile. “Siyaphuphutheka siya enkathini entsha ye-biotechnology yezolimo sinamathemba amahle, zimbalwa izinto ezisivimbayo futhi singazi ukuthi imiphumela iyoba yini,” kusho umlobi wesayensi uJeremy Rifkin.b

Ngakolunye uhlangothi, amandla okulawula ukuphila ngezakhi ayinzuzo enkulu, ngakho kunomncintiswano wokuthola izimbewu ezintsha nezinye izinto ezishintshwe izakhi. Okwamanje, ukuqothulwa kwezitshalo kuyaqhubeka. Njengoba kuphawuliwe ngaphambili, ukuze bagweme inhlekelele, abanye ohulumeni nezinkampani ezizimele baye bamisa izinqolobane zembewu. Ingabe lezi zinqolobane zembewu ziyokwenza izizukulwane zesikhathi esizayo zibe nezinhlobo eziningi zembewu ezingayitshala zithole isivuno?

Izinqolobane Zembewu—Ziqinisekisa Ukungaqothulwa?

IRoyal Botanic Gardens eKew, eNgilandi, iye yagxila kulokho ekudumisa “njengomunye wemikhankaso yokulondoloza imvelo omkhulu kakhulu kweyake yenziwa emhlabeni wonke”—i-Millennium Seed Bank Project. Izinhloso eziyinhloko zalo mkhankaso (1) ukuba uyaqambe uyashaya unyaka ka-2010 sekuqoqwe futhi kwalondolozwa amaphesenti ayishumi—izinhlobo ezingaphezu kuka-24 000—zezitshalo zomhlaba ezinembewu nokuthi (2) ngaphambi kwalokho, kuqoqwe futhi kulondolozwe zonke izitshalo ezinembewu zase-United Kingdom. Amanye amazwe nawo aye amisa izinqolobane zembewu, noma izinqolobane zezakhi, njengoba ziye zibizwe kanjalo ngezinye izikhathi.

Isazi sesayensi yezinto eziphilayo, uJohn Tuxill, sithi okungenani amaphesenti angu-90 ezigidigidi zembewu egcinwe ezinqolobaneni awezitshalo eziwukudla neziwusizo, njengokolo, ilayisi, ummbila, amabele, amazambane, u-anyanisi, ugaliki, umoba, ugampokwe, i-soybean nomunye ubhontshisi, ukubala nje ezimbalwa. Kodwa imbewu iqhubeka iphila uma nje amandla ayo angaphakathi esekhona. Khona-ke kungathenjelwa kangakanani ezinqolobaneni zembewu?

Usizi Enqolobaneni

Kuyimali ukunakekela izinqolobane zembewu—uTuxill uthi ngonyaka kudingeka ingqikithi yezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-2,4 zamaRandi. Nokho, uphawula ukuthi ngisho naleli nani lingase linganeli, ngoba “amaphesenti angu-13 kuphela embewu enezakhi esezindaweni ezinakekelwa kahle futhi ezikwazi ukugcina imbewu isikhathi eside.” Ngenxa yokuthi imbewu egcinwe kabi ayihlali isikhathi eside, kumelwe isheshe itshalwe ukuze kuvunwe isizukulwane esilandelayo sembewu; kungenjalo, izinqolobane zembewu ziba indawo yokugcina imbewu efile. Yiqiniso, umsebenzi onjalo udinga izisebenzi eziningi okwenza izinto zibe nzima ngezindawo kakade ezidonsa kanzima ngasezimalini.

Incwadi ethi Seeds of Change—The Living Treasure ichaza ukuthi iNational Seed Storage Laboratory, eColorado, e-U.S.A., iye “yabhekana nobunzima obuphindiwe, kuhlanganise nokunqamuka kukagesi, ukuphuka kweziqandisi nokuntuleka kwezisebenzi okuye kwashiya inqwaba yembewu engahleliwe ngezinhlobo zayo.” Izinqolobane zembewu zibuye zibe yizisulu zezinxushunxushu zezombangazwe, ukuwa komnotho nezinhlekelele zemvelo.

Ukugcina imbewu isikhathi eside nakho kubangela ezinye izinkinga. Endaweni yazo engokwemvelo, izitshalo zinekhono elilinganiselwe kodwa elibalulekile lokuzivumelanisa nezimo, futhi lokhu kuzenza zisinde ezifweni nakwezinye izinselele. Kodwa endaweni evikelekile yezinqolobane zembewu, ngemva kwezizukulwane ezimbalwa zingase zilahlekelwe yilelo khono lokuvumelana nezimo. Kodwa imbewu elondolozwe kahle yezitshalo eziningi ingase ihlale amakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba kudingeke iphinde itshalwe. Naphezu kokulinganiselwa okunjalo nokungaqiniseki, kona kanye ukuba khona kwezinqolobane zembewu kubonisa ukukhathazeka okukhulayo ngekusasa lezitshalo zokudla zesintu.

Yiqiniso, indlela engcono kakhulu yokunciphisa ukuqothulwa, ukuvikela izindawo zezitshalo nokuvuselela izinhlobonhlobo zezitshalo. Kodwa uTuxill uthi ukuze senze lokho, kudingeka “sihlakulele ukulinganisela okusha phakathi kwezidingo zomuntu nezemvelo.” Kodwa-ke, kunengqondo kangakanani ukucabanga ukuthi abantu “bayohlakulela ukulinganisela okusha” nemvelo kuyilapho bephishekela intuthuko yezimboni nezomnotho ngentshiseko enkulu kangaka? Ngisho nezolimo, njengoba sibonile, sezingene shí emabhizinisini amakhulu anobuchwepheshe obuphambili ashoshozelwa ezentengiselwano. Kumelwe kube nelinye ikhambi.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Umlimi—‘Uhlobo Lokuphila Olusengozini Yokuqothulwa’?

“Kusukela ngo-1950, inani labantu abasebenza kwezolimo liye lehla kuwo wonke amazwe anezimboni, kwezinye izindawo ngamaphesenti angaphezu kwangu-80,” kusho umagazini i-World Watch. Ngokwesibonelo, i-United States manje isinabalimi abancane kuneziboshwa. Yini ebangela lokhu kufuduka okungaka kwezolimo?

Izimbangela eziyinhloko ukuncipha kwemali engenayo, ukwenyuka kwezikweleti zamapulazi, ubumpofu obandayo nokwanda kokusetshenziswa kwemishini. Ngo-1910, abalimi e-United States babethola cishe amasenti angu-40 nge-dollar ngalinye lapho abathengi bethenga ukudla, kodwa ngo-1997, ingxenye etholwa abalimi yayisinciphe yaba ngamasenti angu-7. I-World Watch ithi umlimi kakolo “uthola amasenti ayisithupha kuphela nge-dollar okuthengwa ngalo isinkwa.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi imali abathengi abayikhokhela ipulasitiki lesinkwa ilingana naleyo abayikhokhela umlimi ngokolo wakhe. Emazweni asathuthuka, abalimi basesimweni esibi nakakhulu. Umlimi wase-Australia noma eYurophu angase akwazi ukuboleka ebhange ukuze akwazi ukubhekana nonyaka omubi; umlimi waseNtshonalanga Afrika ngeke akwazi ukuphinde azame. Angase angasindi kwayena.

[Izithombe ekhasini 7]

“Izitshalo zohlobo olulodwa ezaqala ukuba khona kusukela ‘eKwandeni Kokukhiqizwa Kokusanhlamvu’ ziye zathiya izinhlobonhlobo zezinto eziphilayo nokulondeka kokudla emhlabeni wonke.”—UDkt. Mae-Wan Ho

[Umthombo]

Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maíz y Trigo (CIMMYT)

[Izithombe ekhasini 8]

IMillennium Seed Bank, eNgilandi, ilondoloza imbewu yezitshalo eziyigugu

[Umthombo]

© Trustees of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew