FOCUS ON AFRICA
http://www.gmwatch.org/asia.asp

The Uganda Consumer Protection Association (UCPA) wants scientists to do more research on GMOs before they are introduced into the country.

But the coordinator of Uganda's National Bio-safety Framework, Dr. Charles Mugoya, says GMOs have already been proven much safer than organically produced crops!!! Uganda's consumers are clearly in well informed and cautious hands.
------

UCPA Wants More Research On Gmos
Jane Nafula & Peter Nyanzi
The Monitor (Kampala), October 6, 2004
http://allafrica.com/stories/200410050851.html

Uganda Consumer Protection Association (UCPA) wants scientists to do more research on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) before they are introduced in the country.

The chairman of UCPA, Mr Joseph Olanya, said the body is concerned about the use of GMOs because they have not yet been found entirely safe.

"We are concerned about the use of GMOs in the country, the allegations by some scientists that all GMOS are safe for human consumption are not true," Olanya said.

He was speaking at the Parliamentary public hearing on GMOs organised by the Advocates Coalition for development and environment in Kampala recently.

Olanya said the issue of GMOs is still controversial and scientists need to do more research to detect its effects on human beings and the environment.

He said the government should uphold the ban on the importation of GMOs into the country by multi national companies like Mosanto since most of them are after profits.

The Vice President of Uganda National Farmers Federation, Mr Daniel Wanzala, said, "We farmers welcome the scientific research but we need a lot of information about this technology.

He said farmers have a lot of fear because the available information has been scanty in newspapers and workshops." The chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Mr John Odit, said Parliament is working with scientists and local communities to get sufficient information on GMOs before a policy is put in place.

He said the government has consulted some countries in Africa and Asia which have provided information on GMOs. The coordinator of the National Bio safety Framework for Uganda, Dr. Charles Mugoya, said GMOs have been proved to be much safer than organically produced crops.

He said a particular gene is introduced into a plant and effects can easily be predicted than in cross breeding.