The Cotton Board of Zambia has urged government to continue with its precautionary approach towards the adoption and commercialisation of biotech crops.
Board Secretary Dafulin Kaonga said although a number of African countries have already adopted genetic modification of crops with a view to improve productivity, Zambia should be cautious in taking such a step in order to negate any possible negative effects on the country and its people.
Mr. Kaonga said the precautionary approach the country has taken was good because it treats the adoption of genetic modification on case by case basis and also ensures that all possible risks were determined before commercialisation can be allowed.
He said that the precautionary approach should however not be the reason why farmers cannot access the technology if it was proved to be beneficial.
Mr. Kaonga, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Cotton Board of Zambia, was speaking when he officially launched a report on the global status of commercialised biotech and genetically modified crops at the University of Zambia School of Agricultural Sciences in Lusaka today.
“As our neighbouring countries adopt genetic modification of crops before ourselves, we run the risk of having the seed for genetically modified crops illegally thereby threatening the country’s entire agriculture sector,” Mr. Kaonga said.
He noted that one of the poignant arguments against genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has been the high cost of seed and technology fees saying government should consider engaging potential biotechnology companies for more favourable terms of engagement with Zambian farmers once the technology is adopted.
Mr. Kaonga said this will create a win-win situation where both the technology provider and the farmer benefit.
He has since urged government to consider investing in capacity building in modern biotechnology adding that once the human resource base and infrastructure is adequate, the country will be able to develop its own genetically modified crops which will be available to farmers at a lower cost.
Mr. Kaonga noted that the Cotton Development Trust (CDT) has already made headways in applying for permission to undertake research on biotech cotton.
He said this technology holds significant promise in reducing the burden of pest control in cotton.
Mr. Kaonga further stated that there was need for CDT and other research institutions in Zambia to also explore other methods of pest management such as varietal resistance and integrated pest management.
He said this will ensure that farmers have access to relevant technologies which will enable them sustain profitable yields in the absence of genetically modified cotton.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kaonga has commended government for recognising the role that modern biotechnology plays in improving the livelihoods of the people.
He said this was evidenced by the formulation of the national biosafety policy and subsequent enactment of the biosafety act number 10 of 2007.
He also observed that government has gone further and appointed the board for the National Biosafety Authority.
Mr. Kaonga hoped the appointment of the board would facilitate the review process of applications that will be brought before the authority.
Speaking earlier, Zambia Cotton Ginners Association Executive Secretary Bourne Chooka noted with concern that the production of cotton seed in the country has been fluctuating.
Mr. Chooka said the production of cotton seed which hit its highest at 275, 000 metric tonnes for the 2011/2012 season dropped to 100, 000 metric tonnes in the 2012/2013 season.
Mumble jumble.
April 22, 2014
Shocking Russian Report Labels GMO Foods “Bio-Warfare Weapon”
By: Sorcha Faal, and as reported to her Western Subscribers
A shocking report prepared by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev privately explaining his decision today to postpone the introduction of certifying genetically-modified seeds (GMO) for another three years in the Russian Federation warns that these “artificial” organisms are now showing “compelling evidence” of their being related to “bio-warfare agents” due to their “catastrophic effect” upon human health rather than their being able to be consumed as food.
According to this report, Medvedev was “compelled” to sign his September, 2013 decree introducing the certification of GMO seeds due to the complex process of Russia ascending into the…
Totally agree, GMO crops are a preoccupation of selfish commercial entities in the west like Monsato who have a terrible record wherever they go such as India & Peru. If we need to increase productivity we need to look at home grown solutions that protect our biodiversity. Most research on GMO’s is not independently carried out but is sponsored by western multinationals who have the most to gain. If we introduce gmo’s we just make them more wealthy as they have ownership of all the innovations through patents! We see Bill Gates, Clinton & George Bush crisscrossing Africa & think they are doing us a favour yet they are securing investments in IP. GMO’s will make us dependent on the west. 100 years ago it was copper, gold etc now it will be our biodiversity.
Keep them out. Besides the likelihood of a monopoly on seeds etc..there is evidence of soil damage and evidence that GMO has affected the bees and other pollinators of America and Western Europe which is deemed as one of the greatest threats to global ecology. At the moment Zambia is deemed organic status by the EU mainly on account of us not using GMO and certain fertilizers. Optimising our good soils and farming techniques is all we need and should be doing. GMO is dangerous. There isn’t enough long term evidence about how it affects food end users. KEEP IT OUT OF ZAMBIA.