PHA-Exchange> Africa GM Food Controversy Heats Up

[Aviva]

--From: "Mark Covey" <MarkC at panoslondon.org.uk>

> New Panos Information Resources on GM Food aid and GM policy in southern
Africa
>
> On August 16th 2002 the Zambian government announced that it would not
> accept 27,000 tonnes of food aid from the US to feed about two million of
> its people threatened by famine, because the food contained genetically
> modified (GM) grain.
>
> Zambia's rejection of the food aid resulted in a stormy international
> debate. International organisations including the Food and Agriculture
> Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the World Food Programme
> urged Zambia to accept the aid, while the EU, UK officials and many NGOs
> including a grouping of African civil society organisations criticised the
> US for putting such pressure on Zambia.
>
> The issue throws a spotlight on the crucial question of whether countries
> can make their own decisions about introducing GM crops - and make their
> decisions freely after a process of discussion, weighing benefits and
risks
> in the national context and consulting the wishes of their people.

> Debate is proving as heated and difficult in Zambia as in many other
> countries: feelings are very intense, and appear to be predominantly
against
> GMOs, so that voices arguing in their favour sometimes have difficulty
> getting a hearing.
>