Genetically-modified food aid rejected despite shortage

For rejecting genetically-modified food donations from the West to feed their rural folk facing drought-induced food shortages, they earned praise from international scientists including American scientists.

Scientists said crops in North America have been an economic disaster which has caused some farmers to call for a moratorium on all altered crops, yet donor governments and organizations were shipping large consignments of GMO food aide to developing countries.

Although some scientists said the advent of such crops could be the answer to world hunger, many believed that claims of increased yields of the West have not been realized, except for a small increase in some maize fields.

Program Against Malnutrition executive director Dr. Drinah Nyirenda said there was need to have strategic technologies that optimized food production and utilization systems.

"Any technology that raises concerns that would negatively impact on the food resources in its production and utilization will not assure food for all and will tamper with peoples’ livelihoods and lead to a perpetuations of poverty and hunger.

"In the literature, GMO technology does not qualify because it does not satisfy the issues raised on food availability, safety, environment and bio-diversity, sustainability upon which the vulnerable small-scale farmers depends," said Dr. Nyirenda.

Gorden Simango of Christian Care (Zimbabwe) said farmers had not achieved the higher profits promised by the biotech companies as markets for GMO foods collapse, citing GMO contamination at all levels of the food farming industry as the source.

Simango said large amounts of money used to genetically modify crops would be better spent on helping farmers maximize their traditional knowledge in sustainable agriculture. The executive director of the US-based Institute made it difficult to promote them. The promoters of GM technology have not perceived consumers benefit and could irreversibly damage, the environments.