Zambia

Zambia Holding Firm to GM Ban Amid Aggressive GM Awareness Campaign

Dr. Mae-Wan Ho

Zambian Minister of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Mrs Judith Kapijimpanga, told the international conference on Genetic Engineering and Sustainable Agriculture in Lusaka, 3-6 October, that her country had taken a bold stance to reject GMO foods and conditions attached to them, “much to the annoyance of some donors.”

The Zambian government is committed to rejecting GM foods and aids to protect humans and animals and the environment. It is taking a precautionary stance on GM and ensuring sustainable agriculture.

She said the problem of food insecurity in Africa was a result of complex issues including droughts, floods, poor rural infrastructure, unreliable input distributions, subsidies, farmers' attitudes and agricultural policies. It required an integrated approach for sustainability.

The public and farmers have no access to reliable information and data, which is why the government is investing K900 million (~US$200 000) to set up a national institute of scientific research on GMO testing, to enable scientists to generate knowledge on biotechnology. She challenged the media to obtain and report accurate information on biotechnology and biosafety.