Below's a very useful update on the Zambian situation from freelance journalist Brenda Zulu.

Brenda reports on how Zambia has reaffirmed its stand against the importation of GMOs, even at a time when the country is once again facing a severe drought which could force it to import food.

The current drought is reminiscent of the food security problems in 2000 and 2002, and once again this is being exploited by GM proponents as a way of pressurising the Zambian government to review its position and legalise the introduction of GMOs.

Instead of going down the GMO route, however, Zambia is looking to alternatives.
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Zambia reaffirms its ban on GMOs
And looks to alternative solutions for food security
By Brenda Zulu

Hunger is one of the biggest challenges facing Africa in the new millennium. Zambia, once an exporter of food, is in the midst of a severe drought. This is reminiscent of the years 2000 and 2002, which caused a strain on food security in Zambia following drought and crop failure. Inevitably, there is strong pressure on the country to review its position and legalise the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) within its borders.

However, instead of following the GMO route, Zambia, like several other African countries, is currently in the process of developing a biosafety legislation to regulate GM products. The Zambian government effectively has reaffirmed its position to ban GMOs in the country until it is satisfied with safety reports to humans and animals.

Agriculture Minister, Mundia Sikatana said in an interview to mark the 2005 World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) that Zambia will continue with the ban until the country is satisfied with those issues of safety. He said the country would acquire and set up equipment that would be used to detect GMOs at all Zambian entry border points so as to enhance the country’s capacity to detect and regulate GM crops.

The Zambian Minister underscored the fact that Zambia has a sustainable food production system. "The food system in Zambia is sustainable provided we adopt irrigation throughout the year so that we can overcome periods of drought. We have suffered extremely heavy crop losses because of the unprecedented drought which compels us to adopt other programmes which use irrigation such as cultivation of winter maize and utilising wetlands," said Sikatana.

Currently, Zambia fears that it may have a very low crop because of the drought that has hit the country. Because of the continued drought, even optimistic forecast say that Zambia will only harvest enough for local consumption, estimated Minister Sikatana. The Minister then urged Zambians to diversify their diet and consume alternatives like the drought-resistant cassava, and not depend on maize only.

He pointed out that, in times of drought, government supports the use of wetlands in agriculture when farmers are allowed to use the normally restricted water in the wet areas for agricultural purposes; which means they can have crops throughout the year. He said this time, the government's support will be on a much larger scale and will involve both small-scale farmers and commercial farmers.

Food security and agricultural biotechnology are two very contentious and controversial issues in Zambia and Africa today among scientists, farmers, government officials and the general public.

In the 2002, Zambia experienced hunger following a severe drought. The US offered GMOs for relief assistance that Zambian President Mwanawasa rejected citing health, environmental, trade and market-share concerns. His decision came after a team of scientists and economists was sent on a fact-finding mission to South Africa, Europe and the United States. On their return, they gave a report to President Mwanawasa who reaffirmed his position and rejected distribution of GM relief maize.

Following President Levy Mwanawasa’s ban on GMOs in July 2002, Zambia has made progress by coming up with a draft biosafety legislation that is due to be presented soon to parliament by the relevant Ministry of Science and Technology.

The Zambia Consumers Association (ZACA) has called on the government not to drag its feet in approving the biosafety law because some countries in the sub-region like South Africa are rather favourable to GMOs, thus there is a possibility of those GM derived products entering the country by unauthorised means. ZACA's Executive Secretary, Muyunda Ililonga, said that there is need for the country to have control structures to check whether the food coming in Zambia is genetically modified or not. “In fact we still feel that government is not moving fast enough," said Muyunda Ililonga.

He added that ZACA, as a representative of consumer groups, was part of the civil society group that contributed significantly to the process that led to the draft biosafety law, and feels that the diversity of stakeholders who inputted in that document was representative enough. 

On 15 March, ZACA, together with other organisations members of Consumers International in the world campaigned for labelling of all foods containing or derived from GMOs. They demand for alternatives to GM foods to remain widely available so as to guarantee consumers’ rights to information, choice and safety.

Zambian critics of GMOs say that GM products present many risks and uncertainties of a uniquely dangerous kind: once genes have entered the environment, nothing can be done to stop them spreading in uncontrollable and unpredictable ways.

According to the Zambian Minister, the GM system of agriculture threatens not only the existence of other agricultural systems but it would threaten Zambia's exports trade as well. "Currently Zambia grows crops for export to Europe. If we allow GM crops, Europe will not buy from us any more," observed Minister Sikatana.

Bernadette Lubozya, an agro-scientist with long experience said in a research study on the impact of GMOs on sustainable agriculture sponsored by the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections (JCTR) and Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre that GM crops do not offer the benefits that are claimed by proponents of GMOs. "In fact, GM crops are likely to bring many problems including serious negative effects on the development of small-scale farming in Zambia - the basis for the country's food security system", said Lubozya. She argues that GM crops will drastically and dangerously alter the infrastructure of Zambian agriculture.

The fact that GM technology affects the small-scale farmers of which women are the majority, presents a lot of gender issues that this new technology will bring about if Zambia accepts GMOs.

A small-scale farmer on the Copperbelt based in Ndola rural, Wavey Chembo appealed to policymakers not to underestimate the contribution of women in the agricultural sector. Chembo said it is very difficult for women farmers in many villages who are used to indigenous ways of farming to adopt new ways of farming.

Supporters of GMOs claim that GM technology will bring relief to hungry Africans. Besides, they argue, no technology is risk-free. They assert that emotional and ill-informed citizens of rich countries, for whom the benefits of GM are relevant, have exaggerated the risks from GM crops and products. The biotechnology industry and pro-GMO research scientists continue to claim that these new crops provide benefits to consumers, producers and the environment. The potential of the technology to improve nutritional value and promote food security for the hungry has been emphasised as one of the key benefits of GMO crops.

According to the Biotechnology Outreach Society of Zambia (BOSC), a team of Southern African Scientists set up by 14 Nations of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to investigate the effects of genetically modified food, they pose no immediate risk to humans and animals. BOSC, in its newsletter made available during the 2003 Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF), indicates that the 20 scientists who were sent on a fact-finding mission to the United States and Europe, advised that Southern African nations should embrace the technology because of its potential to increase agricultural yields.

However, the team also warned that potential environment risks remain a challenge, especially in Africa because of its rich animal genetic resources. The team recommended that genetic modification technologies be evaluated in African environments and called for African nations to develop their own capacity to regulate and test genetic modified products. Stringent and adequate safety measures have to be in place before GMOs are adopted.

The major factor that affects agriculture in Zambia is the lack of a mechanised system of agriculture. "Agriculture today is not mechanised and people still use hoes. For this reason we are planning to rehabilitate our training centres so that they are found in each district and are fully equipped with agricultural instruments," said Minister Sikatana. He added that these instruments would also be leased to poor farmers.

"We shall plant and cultivate for them and we will recover the costs during the harvest," explained Sikatana. Zambia is affected by a lot of livestock diseases, prompting the government to ban movements of stock and also introduce regular dipping and vaccination of animals, added the Minister.

The effects of drought will also be felt in the sub-region. Sikatana pointed out that Zambia exported about 150 000 metric tones of maize to Malawi, Angola, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He also said that a lot of maize has been exported through World Food Programme (WFP) to feed vulnerable African refuges. Because some farmers in certain Zambian areas have experienced 100% loss, the government has decided to reserve about a 100 000 metric tones through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). Fridah Luhila, Executive Director of the FRA, concurred on 'Good morning Zambia', a TV programme broadcast on 12 March.