In the latest effort to eradicate illegal drugs, American scientists are experimenting on genetically engineered strains of fungi that will identify and destroy opium poppy plants, coca plants and bhang being grown in different countries around the world.

A representative of the environmental group, The Sunshine, told delegates to the fifth meeting of signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Nairobi that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the American Department of Defence (ADD) are jointly working on research they call 'Operation End Smoke' to eradicate illegal drug plantations in the world.

The fungi currently being examined - Fusarium oxysporum will target millions of hectares occupied by narcotic crops in South America, Central Asia and Africa.

Environmentalists say the danger is that once the highly infectious fungi are released to the environment, they may mutate, and spread.

Professor Wangari Mathai, of Green Belt Movement says that Kenya should oppose the use of this use of viruses and fungi because they might have profound effects on the environment in the long run.

"Use of Fusarium fungi or any other laboratory multiplied virus should be opposed because of the potential harm they pose to biodiversity. The use of these microbes is misguided. America's intentions are suspect. If it were genuine in the war against drugs, it would use all safe avenues available," says Mathai.

Dr Agatha Janet of lnternational Science For Life supports Professor Mathai's opposition to the use of viruses or fungi in the war on narcotic drugs.

"Fusarium may curtail the production of narcotics but the danger they pose to the biodiversity and livelihood of people who grow pharmaceutical plants of narcotic species surpasses the goodwill intended. Related species of plants might be attacked by the Fusarium fungi because there isn't any guarantee for crop target specification."

Fearing such a backlash the United States has moved to broaden participation in the project.

"We urge the United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) to solicit funds from other governments, in order to avoid the perception that this is solely a United States government initiative," urged US Secretary to the State Madeleine Albright in a cable message sent to UNDCP.

Some countries have already passed legislation banning the use of biological agents in the eradication of narcotic crops.

Peru passed a law prohibiting the use of biological agents in coca eradication. Bolivia and Thailand have followed suit and banned the use of Fusarium fungi or related biological micro-organisms in the elimination of illegal crops.

Although America produces bhang in large quantities, especially the state of Florida, the use of Fusarium fungi has been opposed by the head of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection who says. "Fusarium species are capable of evolving rapidly.

Mutagenicity is by far the most disturbing factor in attempting to use a Fusarium species as a bioherbicide."

"The government of U. S is playing roulette with irreplaceable biological biodiversity. In Colombia where Fusarium fungi are to be used, four close relatives of coca are classified as endangered. Agent Green might be the last step to their extinction," says Susana Pimiento, a Colombian lawyer with The Sunshine.

Ecologists and environmentalists at the CBD were concerned that some strains of Fusarium osporum can infect even distantly related plants and destabilise the ecosystem of living species such as the prized butterfly-Agrius, which depends on the coca's leaves for maturity and feeding.

"Birds feeding on narcotic crops are endangered. If they consume these plants after Fusarium fungi have been released into the field, available data shows that they produce mycotoxins that are deadly," says Edwin Meme, a toxicologist.

If the Kenyan Government subscribes to the use of Fusariun fungi in the fight against narcotics, especially bhang, this might setback the conservation of the ecosystem around Mount Kenya a vital water catchment area, already reeling from the effects of deforestation, to accommodate huge acreage of bhang.

Last year the government embarked on the large-scale destruction of bhang crops in Mount Kenya forest. Unable to curtail the farming of the drugs, aerial spray was suggested as an alternative but abandoned after protests by environmentalists.

Traditional knowledge of the indigenous people wil} also be threatened since there are the people who use poppies and coca leaves for non-drug purposes. Materials emanating from their growth are used as fodder for cattle.

The Cartagena Protocol, says that no country should release any modified living organisms (M]LO) into the biodiversity of another country unless the recipient country is sure of the safety of the organisms being released, and adheres to the provision of environmental safety, and clearing mechanisms.

''If United States releases these virus without consulting any country, and finally the whole project turns disastrous to the biodiversity, who will be accountable since America is not a member to the Cartagena Protocol?" asked a delegate from Canada.

A declassified report released by the US government of United States of America to allay fears that it was cloning virulent genes (Fusarium strain) to combat narcotics world-wide says: " The US Government is not researching genetically engineered, but genetically modified strains which are still being researched on. They are not yet released or about to be released to the field."

In 1988 United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) pointed out that drug eradication programme should exhaust manual, mechanical or chemical herbicides for controlling weeds, but not as biological agents.

The US government insist that the fungi being experimented on are for the "global benefit'' since governments of the countries where narcotics are grown will shift scarce resources currently used to fight illegal plants to needy national projects.

"Although initial excuses are that the fungi are not currently earmarked for application in Africa, this is not true. For the plan to eradicate narcotics to be successful, it must have universal application. Otherwise, there is no sense in application in some countries while others still continue to grow them," says Jefferson Henry, a crop researcher.