The first mail comes from the Director of the Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre in Zambia. The second from Andrew taynton in South Africa. Both are from the GM free Africa list: http://www.gmfreeafrica.org
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From: "Paul Desmarais, S.J." This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 07:03:35 +0200
Subject: Bt and organic cotton

Dear Mariam,

We have successfully grown organic cotton for two years now at Kasisi.

We have good control of insects and there is not resistance built in the system as there is even with Bt cotton. Our yields are double the national yields.

Farmers using the conventional route are barely ekeing out an existence with the price of cotton dropping and the price of inputs climbing up. We have just had the seed cotton tested for fibre length, micronair, etc. and our cotton did very well on all the scores. Let us pursue the growing of organic cotton. It is possible and it is sustainable.

Paul Desmarais S.J.
Director
Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre
P.O. Box 30652
Lusaka, ZAMBIA
tel: (01) 233101; 095-883059
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From: Andrew Taynton This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2005 09:07:20 +0200
Subject: Re: Bt and organic cotton in Egypt

There are allegations circulating in South Africa at the moment that where NGO's have taught organic and sustainable methods of farming, government officials come in and tell these farmers they will never make money that way and distribute chemicals and GM seeds.

regards
Andrew