ZAAB rejects proposed Biosafety policy

… Members accuse government of secretly pushing acceptace of GMOs in Zambia, through a proposed Biosafety policy

By Francis Maingaila

Lusaka – (14-12-2020)  – The Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity (ZAAB) has rejected the proposed Biosafety policy which gives guidance on the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
Caritas Zambia executive director Eugene Kabilika, who read the Communique on Monday told journalists at a Lusaka Media Briefing held at Kapingila House in Kabulonga on Monday 14th December,  2020 that  farmers as main stakeholders are equally not happy that the government is pushing hard to have the draft Biosafety policy document enacted into law without consulting them.
Kabilika is of the view that ZAAB does not want the draft Biosafety policy enacted into law as it is biased and seeks to push acceptance of GMOs, which are not only harmful to soils but bear a negative side effect to sustainable human life.
He said it is a mockery for the government to subtly and secretly push for the acceptace of the GMOs through the proposed Biosafety policy which has not been widely disseminated and and accepted.
A straight-talking Kabilika is worried that the Biosafety draft policy has come under criticism, as government did not take measures to build consensus among stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
Kabilika condemned the government push to impose the draft policy by not paying attention to modern use of technology affecting the food.
The farmers were not consulted on this subject and the recipients on the  use of GMOs in Zambia and the people have the right to say no.
He said this contradicts the current law which provide measures to redress any problem that may arise on this subject.
He said the current law is shifting may lea to a situation where some unscrupulous individuals and orgsnisations would sneak in GMOs in the country.
Once the law is enacted, Kabilika explained, it will infringe on the people on their human rights of the people to enjoy fresh and unadulterated good staff.
Beaides, the enactment of the law may also contaminate the natural seed which protect the people from diseases.”
He said in the and before the use of GMOs, the food which people eat used protect them from the diseases.
Want the government to reject the draft policy because the document is contaminated.
Kabilika hoped the Zambian people will begin to chose what they buy and eat by reading specifications on food packaging.
“Most of the food brought into Zambia are GMOs without the knowledge of the people. The body need nutritious food to fight diseases. There is need to protect food.
Caritas Zambia executive submitted that indigenous seeds are more draught resistant and not prone to climate change.
” GMO seeds promote soil erosion.The soil cannot be regenerated once grain and seed with GMO’S becomes the norm rather than an exception. This can be done by promoting biodiversity,” noted Caritas Zambia.
He believes that for  transformation in the agriculture production sector to flourish,  government must not allow GMOS  into the country.

And National Union for Small Scale Farmers president Derranok Choonga wondered why the government was planning impose a law which will an adverse effect not only the lives of farmers but also their production.
Choonga said at the same dissemination press conference that GMOs seeds which flood Zambia after the current Biosafety Policy is enacted will affect the food production.
Choonga advised the government to respect the rights of the farmers that have rejected the Biosafety policy because will encourage unscrupulous people to import the GMOs seeds that will tell require the use of chemicals to grow.
He said small farmers who are the main producers of food only poor and cannot raise money through sale of their farm produce to support their agricultural activities.
He said the government has no option but to listen to the affectare people and forgo the idea of enacting the Biosafety policy.
He also suggested the promotion the creation of the seeds banks where seed seed varieties would be kept.
He said in the past there were type of seeds which farmers used recycled and are cheaper to grow because they did not require complicated chemicals.

And another peasant farmerlajllb87m in Chongwe District  of Lusaka  Province supported  ZAAB for rejecting the Biosafety draft policy.
Lovely Murunji  protested that if enacted importation of food with Genetically Modified Organisms would negatively  after food production  in the country did the dominance of GMOs.
He said Biosafety policy was  a copy cat from other countries where the  production of GMOs is needlessly allowed.
Murunji  regarded it as a shame that the government does not want to consult citizens before allowing  importation of GMOs into the country.
He invited the people to join the silent war against Biosafety draft policy as if allowed, farmers will be negatively affected.
“The Ministry of Health does not care over the plight of the people. It is sad that agriculture has changed its name to agribusiness. The small scale farmer is not consult to speak. As farmers,  especially  those called peasant are deprived of our rights,” lamented Murunji.
Murunji argued that some seeds were like medicinal plants that prolonged the life of the people, thus the imperative  need for the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) to protect both local farming  communities and consumers.
“Seed banks are not well kept to protect the seeds from being affected by imported grain. The ministry should look into this  concern to protect to people,”advised Murunji.

CSO-SUN Country Coordinator Mathews Mhuruprodded  authorities in Zambia to allow the people that want to create a market using GMOs to openly do so while increasing  awareness on how to detect foods containing GMO’s sold in the country by ensuring that such detail is prominently shown on packages.
“It is prudent to let them voluntarily accept or consent to eating preferred  food by ensuring that all foods sold clearly show such a detail. Most people do not know what it is happening. Farmers need to be given the right to know the content of the seed being grown. In most cases high nutrition is reduced due to eating GMOs,” Mhuru noted.

A ZAAB member Juliet Luo Malamba noted that Zambia is at critical stage at which matters of sustaining life must not be put on test. 
Malamba prayed for more time to dialogue over the matter as it is not good to rush the document toward a speedy enactment. 
“There is time to deal with the document. GMOs is not a solution to food problem.  There is need to deal with food waste, and not opting to introduce (GMOs) whose ramifications are to gastly to contemplate,” cautioned  Malamba.

ActionAid Country Director  Nalucha  Nganga said her team does not support GMOs.

Bradley Chilinya observed that Zambia had enjoyed a lucrative price for her maize exports being GMOs free country. 
Chilinya pleaded with  Government to reject the draft Biosafety policy document to secure the market, from the consequences of allowing Genetically Modified Organisms  (GMO’S) into the country.
Chilinya  argued  that introducing GMOs will not just scientifically harm the market but most likely destroy national  food security.