Blantyre, Malawi
July 2, 2008
Source:
Afrique-Actualité via
Checkbiotech
Malawi has finally opened its
doors to genetically mod ified crops (GMOs) despite fears still
lingering among consumer rights groups. "Yes, cabinet has
approved the National Bio-technology and Bio-safety bill," said
Alec Manda, the acting Director of the National Research Council
of Malawi.
Manda said with the policy now in place Malawi can now start
using products that are genetically modified.
He said what remains now was for scientists to start field trial
in testing genetically modified crops developed outside the
country.
"What that means is that we have completed the regulatory
process which started with the Bio-safety Act, the enactment of
the Bio-Safety Act in the year 2002; the formulation of
regulations in the year 2007; and just today cabinet has
approved the National Bio-technology Policy," he said.
But the Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) has since warned
government to tread carefully when introducing the GMOs into the
market.
CAMA's acting Executive Director Andrew Ussi said the consumer
rights watchdog would closely monitor events as the country
prepares to introduce genetically modified crops.
"Our current position is that before any food is being
introduced on the market the consumer has to be informed as to
the benefits of that GMO food to his body, to the environment
and, for posterity's sake, as well as the other plants that will
be grown surrounding that crop," he said.
Ussi said the consumer rights group would ensure that there was
proper trial bef ore the GMOs are introduced.
"our mission is to promote and protect consumer rights in
Malawi," he said, adding that such rights included the right to
information.
"The consumer has to be informed on each and every product that
comes onto the market in terms of the manufacturer, ingridients
and every everything," Ussi added.
But Manda of the National research council of Malawi, said there
was no cause for worry, adding that a special Bio-technology and
Bio-safety Committee, comprising scientists and other experts,
had been set up to oversee the trial.
"We have to test these GMOs or GMO crops which have been
developed outside the country; to test them under Malawian
conditions; how do they perform," he said. " We are not going to
start by developing our own GMOs."
Manda said the research and evaluation could take as long as
three years.
"We have to see how they peform under Malawian conditions; It is
only after the researchers have established that those perform
well then there will be another process now to see if they can
be commercialised," he said.
The issue of genetically modified foods became a sensitive issue
between the years 2002 and 2003 when Malawi was hit with a
severe food crisis which forced the government of former
President Bakili Muluzi to accept genetically modified food from
the West, especially the US.
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