Zambia not ready for GMO consequences - HIVOS
By Favourite Kalando “We are not ready now to handle the consequences and costs that come with Genetically Modified Food (GMOs),” HIVOS Southern Africa Advocacy Officer for Sustainable Diets, William Chilufya has said. Last year, the National Bio-safety Authority, a government agency tasked to oversee and regulate agricultural related products - less those inclined with GMOs, granted three distributors new permits to import products that may contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) after a risk assessment was conducted by the scientific advisory committee. By allowing the import of products that may contain genetically modified organism Mr. Chilufya feels government has let the people of Zambia down owing to the fact that it has been assuring citizenry that it would uphold the late President Levy Mwanawasa’s legacy of saying no to GMO. In 2002 the then President late Levy Patrick Mwanawasa described them [GMOs] as “poison” and refused to allow GMOs in the country. He ...