As 1.75 million Zambian people face starvation, the country’s officials have turned away a shipment of maize sent as part of an international emergency relief effort, because the maize is genetically modified.
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The drought stricken country in southern Africa has suffered severe food shortages as crops failed. Rural populations are meanwhile finding it more difficult to recover from hunger due to a 20% infection rate from HIV/AIDs. Zambia’s President Levy Mwanawasa declared a national emergency with regard to the food shortages in May.
Zambia fears however that importing GM maize could potentially damage its ability to export agricultural products to markets with strict GM restrictions. Many critics also suggest that the US is using situations such as this to increase global tolerance towards GM foods.
Newstead Zimba, Zambia’s minister of information, is quoted in the Financial Times as explaining: “We have taken into consideration the scientific advice about the long-term effects of the GM foods and all related grains and we are rejecting it.”
The move by Zambia echoes those made recently by Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where officials have also rejected GM maize sent from the US.
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