By Aghan Daniel I AFSTA Communication Officer reporting from Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia’s National Biosafety Authority chief, Mr Lackson Tonga (pictured) has asked the seed sector to stop labelling Zambia as an anti-GMOs state urging them and the world to look at opportunities that the technology stands to offer Africa.
While addressing this year’s African Biosafety Coordination Partners Meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, he regretted that this notion has presented a missed opportunity and urged research institutes in the country to wake up and start working together on genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
“There is need to change and work together to enable biotech work in Zambia to thrive,” he said.
On her part, Dr Florence Wambugu, CEO, (pictured) Africa Harvest noted that politicians have largely derailed adoption of GMOs in Africa. She gave the example of Uganda where a lot of funding on GMOs work has not yielded much in terms of acceptance of the technology.
While making a presentation at the same meeting, Sam Timpo of Africa Biosafety of The African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) a continent-wide biosafety service and resource network for African regulators and policymakers. He urged the seed sector to look at the Cartegena Protocol as an enabler and a saving grace than a problem while tackling biosafety issues.
