Maravi

Dr Lungu advises against changing policy on GMOs

Dr Lungu advises against changing policy on GMOs
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe and Ernest Chanda
Friday, February 13, 2009 7:54:33 AM

AGRICULTURAL scientist Dr Judith Lungu has advised against changing government policy regarding genetically modified organisms (GMO) because evidence has shown that they have an effect on the environment.

And agriculture minister Dr Brian Chituwo on Wednesday told Parliament that the government has no intention of blacklisting GIA International, the company that imported some genetically modified maize out of the 35,000 metric tonnes from South Africa.

Dr Lungu, who is University of Zambia (UNZA) School of Agriculture dean, said re-opening debate on whether Zambia should start consuming GMOs or not should not lead to a policy shift concerning the country's stance on the matter.

"There is need to research on the consumption of GMO maize in the country without politicising it," she advised.

Dr Lungu said the current knowledge on GMOs was not adequate to enable Zambia make a correct decision.

"There is a lot of evidence that GMOs have an effect on the environment. And those who are against GMOs are standing up for the fact that if you bring the seed, it will mix with the local seed and it will contaminate whatever we have as local seed," Dr Lungu said.

She advised that the consumption of GMOs had advantages and disadvantages, which needed to be verified through scientific research and not political statements.

"However, the country at the moment does not have the capacity to undertake trials on advantages and disadvantages of consuming GMO maize to enable the country come up with an informed policy decision," she said. "Until we have more information and we are sure that what we are taking is safe, then we will accept."

She further defended the biotechnology and bio-safety policy, which was implemented by the government in 2002 as a guiding principle to the country's position on GMO maize.

Asked on the timing of the pronouncements by President Rupiah Banda that the country should open debate on GMOs following the rejection of 35,000 metric tonnes of imported maize by FRA, Dr Lungu emphasised the need for more research on the matter, although she noted that the country currently did not have proper equipment and capacity to adequately handle trials on the possible side effects of GMOs.

"We don't have the capacity in terms of human resource and equipment because you have to be at a certain level of laboratory, from the policy you can tell that whatever research you are going to do from GMO must not come out of the air to go anywhere else and if you are doing with crops, the birds and the insect will come and get the pollen and take it elsewhere, so you must have the facility that will prevent that," Dr Lungu said. "There is need for facilitating this research, building capacity in terms of human resource and getting involved in this research, without that, we will just do politics as we have done before."

Dr Lungu also explained that a team previously appointed to ascertain the safety of GMO foods concentrated on getting results from other countries and not coming up with a local policy.

"We have our own scientists at Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI), UNZA and National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (NISIR), they can do that kind of research if they are capacitated, so in opening up this dialogue, it means also capacitating these institutions that can provide this information," said Dr Lungu. "This information in other countries is coming from the research institutions, but if we are going to sit back and wait for information to come through the politics, it won't happen."

President Banda this week said there was need to reopen debate on GMOs following the importation of maize into the country that was rejected by FRA.

About 81 per cent of the 35,000 metric tonnes of maize imported from South Africa was genetically modified against the country's policy on GMOs.

And in his ministerial statement in Parliament, Dr Chituwo said some people were exaggerating the shortage of maize in the country.

Dr Chituwo's statement came after a question by Nkana member of parliament Mwenya Musenge who wanted to know if the government would consider terminating a contract with GIA International, especially that the same government had in the past blacklisted some Zambian companies for poor services.

"The contract with GIA International is still running, the law is still in place, and the system is there to ensure the safety of Zambians. We cannot blacklist a company that has a running contract with this government," Dr Chituwo said.

When asked by Zambezi West member of parliament Charles Kakoma whether one of the companies importing maize was for President Rupiah Banda's son, James, Dr Chituwo dismissed the allegation as an invention.

"I don't remember hearing or reading that the FRA chairman said that James Banda was awarded this contract. As a matter of fact, we do not scrutinise who owns which company, but those are mere allegations and I want the MP to prove that. Those are insinuations and I am not aware as Minister of Agriculture. However, anybody is free to participate in the development of our country although transparently," said Dr Chituwo.

Labels: BRIAN CHITUWO, GIA INTERNATIONAL, GMO, JUDITH LUNGU, MAIZE

posted by MrK @ 7:54 AM