Zambia: Why Zambia Must Reject GM Crops

ACCEPTING genetically modified crops (GMs) in Zambia could be the greatest betrayal to the ideals of the late President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa.

Dr Mwanawasa fought a spirited fight against genetically modified organisms (GMOs) foods being brought into Zambia. He will be remembered for his stand when he rejected the donation of GMO maize from the United States and ordered thousands of yellow maize out of the country in 2002.

The President's order came at a time when Zambians faced the spectre of hunger due to a crippling drought and poor yield. Quickly the US acted to "avert a looming famine" with a seemingly appropriate lifeline donation which did not seem so to Dr Mwanawasa.

The rejection promptly drew a stinging backlash unimaginable from Washington and its allies. Dr Mwanawasa was told to accept responsibility for the impending deaths of Zambians from hunger.

Dr Mwanawasa had put Zambia on the spotlight but fortunately, against the prophecies of doom, not a single Zambian perished as a result of the rejection of yellow maize.

On the contrary, the rejection propelled Zambia to its unprecedented agricultural policy of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). Since then Zambia has become a grain basket of Southern Africa recording successive bumper harvests each year.

Amid the controversy, Dr Mwanawasa appointed a team of Zambian scientists that visited countries with GMO programmes, prominent among them US, to meet their fellows, critical or supportive, for their views.

Clearly, the fall in maize production in the receding agricultural season has evidently ignited the current debate, tasting the waters, so they say. They want to psychic Zambians in anticipation of shortage of food next year as a result and lay ground for the importation of GMOs.

Last month two articles in support of the GMOs appeared in the Times of Zambia on November 27 and 30 written by IRIN, soliciting or better still, campaigning for the introduction of GMO foods in Zambia. In editorial etiquette the story must be serialized, dramatic or sponsored to get such attention or else one is a material for the spike.

ALL Africa

Uganda looks to GM crops to improve food security

Major scientific advances are being made in the landlocked central African country of Uganda.

A big investment in biotechnology aims to improve the country's food security, but the nation's push to feed itself with help from genetically modified crops is being met with resistance by some people who are wary of the technology.

China rejects 545,000 tons of US corn

China rejects 545,000 tons of US corn after finding unapproved genetically modified strain
BEIJING — China has rejected 545,000 tons of imported U.S. corn found to contain an unapproved genetically modified strain, the country's product safety agency announced Friday.

China's government is promoting genetically modified crops to increase food production. But it faces opposition from critics who question their safety, especially those imported from the United States.

An unapproved strain called MIR162 was found in 12 batches of corn at six inspection stations, according to the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. It said the shipments would be returned to the United States.

In a statement, the agency called on U.S. authorities to strengthen controls on corn exports to ensure unapproved strains are not sent to China.

China allowed its first imports of a genetically modified crop, soybeans, in 1997. Authorities are trying to develop others that produce bigger yields or can resist insects without use of pesticides.

An announcement in June that regulators had approved imports of three new types of modified soybeans prompted an outcry by opponents who said they might be dangerous. The Ministry of Agriculture has launched a publicity campaign to dispel concerns and says the criticisms are unfounded.

U.S. officials were in Beijing this week for trade talks. One participant, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, said earlier that U.S. officials hope they "help open even more markets for U.S. exports." The Republic