Zambian GM food aid decision highlights global problems 1 September 2002
A press release issued by African representatives attending the Earth Summit in Jo'burg highlights concerns that the GM maize could be planted and potentially contaminate Zambia's indigenous maize seed.
Zambia currently has no regulations in place to control GM cultivation. The Zambian decision to reject GM food aid was based on the precautionary principle.
"The experience of Mexico, where GM contamination of wild maize stock has been detected in the past two years, suggests that the Zambian Government was right to be cautious. Non GM food aid has been offered from Uganda and Tanzania. Perhaps the US government and the biotech lobby would be better advised to help ensure that that food reached the people who needed instead of trying to score GM propaganda points," said Friends of the Earth Biotech Campaigner Pete Riley.
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