FOCUS ON AFRICA:
1.Tanzanian farmers up in arms against GMOs draft policy
2.South African groups call for more debate on GM foods
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1.Farmers up in arms against GMOs draft policy
2005-03-15 10:05:18
By Guardian Reporter
http://209.183.227.156/ipp/guardian/2005/03/15/34727.html

The government has been asked to defer tabling a draft policy on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) next month in the National Assembly, to give stakeholders time to study and review the document.

Two farmers' associations, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM-Tanzania) and MVIWATA, a network of agricultural groups in the country, in a joint press statement say the government did not include stakeholders’ view in the draft policy.

The statement, signed by MVIWATA Chairman Jeremiah Maina, and PELUM Tanzania Co-ordinator Yakobo Tibamanya, says the draft policy was in contravention to the Cartagena Agreement.

Tanzania ratified the Agreement two years ago. Though there was no recorded negative effects on GMOs, there was still an urgent need to take all necessary precautionary measures, says the statement.

The fact that scientific research has not proved the technology safety on people's lives and the environment, precautionary measures would be vital to protect the health of Tanzanians, it says.

The associations have called for the government to defer taking the policy to the House and instead seek views from stakeholders.

"We want the draft policy on GMOs translated and circulated so that it could be discussed by people before sending it to the National Assembly," says the statement.

According to the two bodies the government should develop sustainable agriculture to improve food security and forget about GMO technology in solving the problem.
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2.Groups call for more debate on GM foods
Lyse Comins
page 1 of The Mercury, March 15, 2005
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=14&click_id=14&art_id=vn20050315073208476C748785

Tuesday is World Consumer Rights Day and many South African organisations are likely to use the occasion to express their concern about the lack of adequate control over the supply of genetically modified foods for consumption.

Many South African organisations have criticised the government for not doing enough to support consumer rights on the issue of these foods, in spite of worldwide protests against the technology.

The right of consumers and farmers to choose GM-free foods was at the heart of the demands for the implementation of labelling legislation, international safety standards and the formation of liability agreements against potential damage caused by such foods, the environmental organisation Biowatch said in a statement yesterday.

Biowatch criticised the government for pushing through the Genetically Modified Organisms Act in 1997 without sufficient public debate. "The result is South Africa's current GMO legal and policy framework is wholly inadequate and fundamentally flawed," said Biowatch.

Biowatch criticised the government for pushing through the Genetically Modified Organisms Act: "Consumers have no choice in whether or not they wish to buy GM food because there is no compulsory labelling. Farmers not wanting to catch the GM bus also have difficulties because the onus is placed on them to keep their produce GM-free.

"Monsanto South Africa, one of the GM leaders, has said that 20 percent to 30 percent of South Africa's maize crop and 80 percent of its cotton crop are now genetically modified."

Safe Food Coalition Director Andrew Taynton criticised current South African legislation on GM labelling under the Foodstuffs, Cosmetic and Disinfectants Act of 1972. He said South Africa had planted 500 000ha of GM crops last year but nothing had been labelled.

Consumers International, of which the National Consumer Forum is one of 250 member bodies, demanded the proper labelling and independent testing of all GM foods, citing consumers' rights to information, choice and safety.

Forum chairman Thami Bolani supported the need for labelling, saying a survey three years ago had shown less than 15 percent of South Africans were aware of GM foods. He said consumers in Soweto had falsely believed all chicken products were genetically modified.