Tanzania caution citizens over importation of GMO products from Kenya
Tanzania’s Agriculture Minister Hussein Bashe said that they will take vigilance against the importation or illegal entry of Genetically Modified crops (GMO) from Kenya that has approved its farming and importation.
The ban on GMO products was lifted following the cabinet dispatch on Tuesday which communicated the cabinet’s decision having been put in place through a cabinet memo on 8 November 2012, as a result of growing concerns over the safety of genetically modified food situation in the country.
“We are not open to such GM technology; the government is vigilant,” Bashe stated.
The Minister reiterated that Tanzania does not promote or commercialise genetically modified crop varieties, as the country’s Hybrid and Open-Pollinated (OP) varieties are performing well, hence the move.
“We will put in place extra measures so as to make sure there aren’t any GM-related seeds that enter the country, Kenya’s move has no effect on us,” he added.
Bashe stated that currently, issues related to biotechnology are being widely researched so that people understand its handling and control as far as data collection and analysis are concerned.
“But such trials will only be allowed for academic purposes, which in turn would help the country and its people to have a broad understanding of genetically modified varieties, especially the benefits and impact on the environment,” he observed.
In response to the lift of the ban by the government on GMO products, civil societies on biodiversity yesterday claimed the move by government to lift ban on GMOs lacked public participation.
The representatives called for the addressing of the socio-economic concerns, questioned the capacity by the National Biodiversity Authority of Kenya (NBA) to regulate GMOs, safety concerns and consumer preference as entailed in the products, public deception and misinformation, and lack of involvement of the public to lift the ban on the GMO products in the country that has been in place since 2012.
