The GMO Debate: What is the Way forward?
The GMO Debate: What is the Way forward?
Since the introduction of Genetically engineered plants and animals, commonly known as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) as a panacea to address the food insecurity crisis and help reduce poverty in Africa, the debate has concentrated largely on concerns about food safety and potential long-term effects.
Over the years, the debate about GMOs in East Africa has been met with demands from various stakeholders Civil Society Organizations, Farmers, activists and consumers among others to ban GMOs. On the contrary, scientists and other proponents of GMOs have made bold claims about the need to develop seed varieties to address the growing effects of climate change.
On 5th February 2024, SEATINI Uganda in partnership with the Ministry of East African Community Affairs (MEACA) held a consultative meeting on the assessment of policies and laws on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in the East African Community Partner States. The main objective of the meeting was to assess the policies and laws of Partner States on GMOs and to make appropriate recommendations by EALA members from the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources which will be brought before the Council of Ministers.
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is an organ of the East African Community with core functions including legislating, oversight and representation. The overall objective of the EAC Treaty regarding cooperation in agriculture and rural development is the achievement of food security and rational agricultural production. Furthermore, the EAC Agriculture and Rural Development Policy (EAC ARDP) aims at attaining food security through increased agricultural production, processing, storage and marketing.
In her opening remarks, Ms. Prospero Grace Lanyo, Principal Nutritionist at Ministry of Health, Uganda noted that we need to take precaution on the issues of GMOs before delving into the discussion of either adopting or not. She also added that there has been a very big debate all over the world on the benefits and negative impacts of GMOS.
“The debate and the has caused countries to adopt various strategies to control or manage GMOs including limiting their availability within their territories while others allow them with strict or less control. Companies and institutions involved in developing GM food claim that benefits far outweigh risks, with assurances that detailed tests are carried out before GMOs are released commercially” she said.
During his presentation, Mr. Jonathan Lubega, Program Officer, Agricultural Trade for Rural Transformation at SEATINI Uganda, noted that Uganda is a signatory to the international conventions such as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety whose objective is ensure adequate level of protection in the field of safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health.
Mr. Lubega also underscored the issue of patented products which allows a few multinational companies like Mosanto, Bayer, Syngenta, Dupont and Dow to control the food and seed system. This then means that small holder farmers risk being sued by big corporations if their crop products are found to contain a patented gene with or without their knowledge.
Over the years, SEATINI Uganda together with other stakeholders have expressed concerns over the safety of GMOs and their potential risks, the attempts of passing regulatory frameworks laws on GMOs have on several occasions have been unsuccessful starting with the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill 2012 and subsequently the National Biosafety Act, 2017 which the President declined to pass and sent it back to parliament with seven 7 points to reconsider. These include; The issue of GMOs and genetic modification of our seeds, the law should clearly spell out how intellectual property rights and economic benefits will be shared with local communities, the law must clearly spell out the isolation measures, the need for measures for guarding against use of poisonous and dangerous viruses and bacteria. Among other points.
DID YOU KNOW
A GMO, or genetically modified organism, is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism whose genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using genetic engineering or transgenic technology.
Genetic modification affects many of the products we consume on a daily basis. As the number of GMOs available for commercial use grows every year.
Most GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture and are developed and sold by the world’s largest chemical companies.
Mr. Patrick Ongol, the acting Executive Secretary at the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology shared that the National Biosafety Committee recommends approval for research, development, testing and use of Genetically engineered organisms in Uganda, ensures safety of genetic engineering to human health, animal health and the environment and ensures enforcement of necessary measures for biosafety. He further alluded to the Biosafety and Biosecurity Bill which is spearheaded by the Office of the Prime Minister focusing on the development of principles of the new bill.
“The draft principles are currently under review by the technical Inter-ministerial committee on Biosafety. The bill shall provide mechanisms for regulations of modern biotechnology in Uganda as well as the use of highly pathogenic agents in Uganda,” he added.
As part of the key recommendations, Mr. Lubega emphasized the need for the East African Community to develop and harmonize laws and policies that prevent the cultivation, transfer and sale of GMOs in the region, to delve more resources in establishing functioning national and regional food reserves to maintain food security and food safety standards in the region and to promote sustainable agriculture system for instance agroecology. This will ensure respect for food and seed sovereignty, promotion of biodiversity and food and nutrition security.
The EALA Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources called upon stakeholders especially Civil Society Organizations to build the capacity of policymakers and create more awareness on the issues of GMOs to facilitate the uptake of public concerns on GMOs during their debates.
There is also the need to build capacity of the small holder farmers on the implications of GMOs on health, food security and trade. It’s also important to note that the Government needs to conduct research on organic farming, as well as create food reserves because these are also highlighted in the constitution of Uganda and the East African Community.
