The risks of GMOs to agriculture in Uganda
Nov 25, 2010
PROF. James Katorobo led a study of the GMO policy in Uganda. Below he gives us reasons why the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) should be discouraged in Uganda
PROF. James Katorobo led a study of the GMO policy in Uganda. Below he gives us reasons why the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) should be discouraged in Uganda
1 Safe transportation facilities for GMOs do not exist in East Africa and Uganda.
GMOs are supposed to be transported in scientifically designed containerised facilities to ensure that they do not escape and contaminate the areas through which they are being moved. However, road and air transport systems in East Africa do not possess GMO safety facilities.
2 GMO handling facilities, staff and labs do not exist in the country.
In advanced countries, there are extensive networks of GMO research facilities and centres with the capacity to produce them under strict safety measures and controls. Such specialised facilities and capabilities do not exist in Uganda.
3 The risk of contamination of community /peasant crops.
It is impossible to protect community/peasant crops from being contaminated by GMOs. Even if GMO crops are planted in isolated locations, the birds and insects that carry out cross pollinations will carry the GMOs pollen to non-GMO gardens. So, GMO crops will spread throughout the country.
4 GMO crops may be inferior to the indigenous ones.
For example, Uganda’s cotton variety is renowned for its superior quality especially because of having the longest fibre. However, GMO cotton does not have these superior qualities. Moreover, having been developed in a laboratory, it is not adaptable to peasant production methods. Peasants do not have the costly inputs required to nurture GMO crops, for example the intensive use of herbicides that have been developed to protect them.
5 Global multi-nationals and the GMO conspiracy.
Monsanto, the global multi-national, that sells herbicides is behind the investment that has been put into developing GMO crops that depend on herbicides for their survival. Increased use of GMO cotton means increased demand for herbicides and more profits for Monsanto. Global multinationals support and conspire with each other in promoting GMO crops.
6 Terminator seeds.
GMO technology is being used to produce what are called terminator seeds. These seeds can only be planted once. If seeds harvested from terminator crops are re-planted, they will not grow. This forces farmers to always buy GMO seeds to plant.
7 Decisions about what crop to develop into GMOs are not in the best interest of the country.
Kawanda Research Institute has been conducting GMO joint research in collaboration with South Africa. Since Kawanda is the inferior dependent partner, the most important decisions about which crops to conduct for GMO research have been determined by South African researchers.
8 The existing GMO policy allows importation of GMO food for the hungry, but no live GMO in the form of planting and growing.
Any importation of live GMOs is a violation of existing policies. Those in violation of these polices know that Uganda’s borders and entrance points are porous and devoid of mechanisms to detect illegal importation of GMOs. A new policy and law are required.
9 GMOs being produced illegally.
The GMO Bill has been pending in Parliament for about 10 years. The national biosafety committee that was pushing it realised that it would not pass through and decided to go ahead and start GMO testing at Kawanda. These activities are illegal.
10 Extensive land alienation and depopulation, a precondition for GMOs adoption.
Since it is difficult to separate GMO gardens from non-GMO gardens, GMOs are being grown in countries in which peasants have been driven off the land such as Brazil, South Africa and the US. Note that GM crops have been successfully resisted in Europe. The adoptions of GMOs in a country in which peasants are scattered over the countryside is impractical. We cannot afford to alienate land because we have nowhere to transfer the rural populations.
11 Keeping GMOs outside the human food chain and capacity to deal with accidental escape.
The US adopted a policy to keeping GMOs out of the human food chain. GMO products are taken to specialised factories where they can be turned into non-food products such as fuels. However, Uganda does not have such factories. Even with a system to cope with the hazards of GMOs, the US faced a scandal in which GMO maize ended up in supermarkets. Thanks to the abundant consumer protection agencies, the maize was recalled from supermarkets throughout the country. In Uganda, we do not have this capacity.
12 GMO crops being developed and being tested near the Uganda border on the Kenya side.
One of the pressures on Uganda is that GMO crops are being tested near the Uganda border on the Kenya side. And so the birds can carry the GMO genes into Uganda. The fight against GMOs must be carried out into Kenya and Tanzania as well.
1 Safe transportation facilities for GMOs do not exist in East Africa and Uganda.
GMOs are supposed to be transported in scientifically designed containerised facilities to ensure that they do not escape and contaminate the areas through which they are being moved. However, road and air transport systems in East Africa do not possess GMO safety facilities.
2 GMO handling facilities, staff and labs do not exist in the country.
In advanced countries, there are extensive networks of GMO research facilities and centres with the capacity to produce them under strict safety measures and controls. Such specialised facilities and capabilities do not exist in Uganda.
3 The risk of contamination of community /peasant crops.
It is impossible to protect community/peasant crops from being contaminated by GMOs. Even if GMO crops are planted in isolated locations, the birds and insects that carry out cross pollinations will carry the GMOs pollen to non-GMO gardens. So, GMO crops will spread throughout the country.
4 GMO crops may be inferior to the indigenous ones.
For example, Uganda’s cotton variety is renowned for its superior quality especially because of having the longest fibre. However, GMO cotton does not have these superior qualities. Moreover, having been developed in a laboratory, it is not adaptable to peasant production methods. Peasants do not have the costly inputs required to nurture GMO crops, for example the intensive use of herbicides that have been developed to protect them.
5 Global multi-nationals and the GMO conspiracy.
Monsanto, the global multi-national, that sells herbicides is behind the investment that has been put into developing GMO crops that depend on herbicides for their survival. Increased use of GMO cotton means increased demand for herbicides and more profits for Monsanto. Global multinationals support and conspire with each other in promoting GMO crops.
6 Terminator seeds.
GMO technology is being used to produce what are called terminator seeds. These seeds can only be planted once. If seeds harvested from terminator crops are re-planted, they will not grow. This forces farmers to always buy GMO seeds to plant.
7 Decisions about what crop to develop into GMOs are not in the best interest of the country.
Kawanda Research Institute has been conducting GMO joint research in collaboration with South Africa. Since Kawanda is the inferior dependent partner, the most important decisions about which crops to conduct for GMO research have been determined by South African researchers.
8 The existing GMO policy allows importation of GMO food for the hungry, but no live GMO in the form of planting and growing.
Any importation of live GMOs is a violation of existing policies. Those in violation of these polices know that Uganda’s borders and entrance points are porous and devoid of mechanisms to detect illegal importation of GMOs. A new policy and law are required.
9 GMOs being produced illegally.
The GMO Bill has been pending in Parliament for about 10 years. The national biosafety committee that was pushing it realised that it would not pass through and decided to go ahead and start GMO testing at Kawanda. These activities are illegal.
10 Extensive land alienation and depopulation, a precondition for GMOs adoption.
Since it is difficult to separate GMO gardens from non-GMO gardens, GMOs are being grown in countries in which peasants have been driven off the land such as Brazil, South Africa and the US. Note that GM crops have been successfully resisted in Europe. The adoptions of GMOs in a country in which peasants are scattered over the countryside is impractical. We cannot afford to alienate land because we have nowhere to transfer the rural populations.
11 Keeping GMOs outside the human food chain and capacity to deal with accidental escape.
The US adopted a policy to keeping GMOs out of the human food chain. GMO products are taken to specialised factories where they can be turned into non-food products such as fuels. However, Uganda does not have such factories. Even with a system to cope with the hazards of GMOs, the US faced a scandal in which GMO maize ended up in supermarkets. Thanks to the abundant consumer protection agencies, the maize was recalled from supermarkets throughout the country. In Uganda, we do not have this capacity.
12 GMO crops being developed and being tested near the Uganda border on the Kenya side.
One of the pressures on Uganda is that GMO crops are being tested near the Uganda border on the Kenya side. And so the birds can carry the GMO genes into Uganda. The fight against GMOs must be carried out into Kenya and Tanzania as well.