GM Food Aid and Africa

Lusaka Declaration

All stakeholders have the obligation to guarantee full sovereignty and food security.

Consumers have the right to choose the food they want to eat and pursue such choices based on their own tastes and convictions, be they religious, cultural, environmental, animal welfare or ethical considerations, and that such decisions must be respected and that consumers must be facilitated to make such decisions through transparent and full disclosure of all relevant and factual information.

GM technology is not a solution for food security in Africa.

African countries can address food security through maximizing existing resources, tackling distribution problems, and promoting local foods which are low-tech and highly resistant.

The adoption of GM technologies places bio-diversity in the region at risk.

Consumer leaders are opposed to intellectual property rights on genetic resources for food and agriculture because they do not serve the consumer.

(Page last updated 19 October 2005)

Genetically Modified Food - News

News

12 October 2005 - African Food for Africa's Starving Is Roadblocked in Congress (NY Times)
4 October 2005 - GM crops for Africa? No Thanks! (ISIS)
12 March 2005 - African consumers say NO to GMOs
20 October 2004 - Africa Must Steer Clear of GM Crops (NV)
17 August 2004 - Twelve Reasons for Africa to Reject GM Crops (GRAIN)
28 July 2004 - Secret SA potato trials anger anti-GM groups who query benefits to farmers (Cape Times, South Africa)
16 July 2004 - GMOs will not solve hunger, but will make it worse (Mozambique)
23 June 2004 - Protesters Lambast FAO Over GMO Stand (New Vision, Kampala)
21 June 2004 - Zambia refuses GM foods (News24)
16 June 2004 - FAO declares war on farmers, not on hunger (GRAIN)
17 May 2004 - Keep genetically engineered wheat out of South Africa (BW)
4 May 2004 - African groups criticise U.S. over GMO food aid (Reuters)
4 May 2004 - African groups accuse WFP and USAID of denying Africa's right to choose to reject GM food aid (ACB/ELA)
29 April 2004 - The dumping-ground : Africa and GM food aid (Open Democracy)
15 April 2004 - Seed Giants Accused of Sabotage (East African Standard)
19 March 2004 - Angola moves to ban GM products (BBC News)
29 January 2004 - GM technology fails local potatoes (Daily Nation, Kenya)
20 November 2003 - GM crops: A continent divided (Nature)
11 November 2003 - African Farmers Need Water, Not GM Crops - FAO Head (Reuters)
14 October 2003 - US firms tried to lie over GM crops, says EU (Independent, UK)
12 September 2003 - Meacher slams US for "grotesque misrepresentation" (Gaia Foundation)
4 September 2003 - US Challenge presents threat to African Food Sovereignty (EPA Ethiopia)
29 June 2003 - US retaliation against Egypt hits trade plans (Financial Times)
26 June 2003 - Natfoods destroys GMO maize (National Report, Zimbabwe)
24 June 2003 - Ethiopia wary of GM seeds (BBC News)
28 May 2003 - Egypt withdraws from WTO GM complaint (FoE)
6 February 2003 - US Makes Non-GM Food Donation (allafrica.com)
28 January 2003 - WFP urged to remove GM relief food in Zambia (Xinhua)
10 January 2003 - Malawi Government Officials Uproot GM Maize Plants (allafrica.com)
9 December 2002 - US to give hungry Zambia food despite GM spat (Reuters)
5 December 2002 - U.S. Policies Contribute To African Famine (The Black World Today)
2 December 2002 - Lamy backs African stance on GM aid (Bloomberg)
29 November 2002 - African consumer leaders support Zambia (ISIS)
21 November 2002 - No one dying because of GM rejection: Zambia (Western Producer, Canada)
21 November 2002 - African consumers demand South Africa label GM foods (Angola Press)
20 November 2002 - African Consumer Leaders Adopt Critical Position on GMOs and Their Implications for Food Security (Consumers International)
29 October 2002 - IMF blamed for Malawi famine (WDM)
7 October 2002 - US 'dumping unsold GM food on Africa' (Guardian, UK)
7 October 2002 - Bush using famine in Africa as GM marketing tool (Greenpeace UK) Research published today by Greenpeace exposes the Bush Administration's use of the famine in southern Africa as a marketing tool to push GM food in the continent

Research published today by Greenpeace exposes the Bush Administration's use of the famine in southern Africa as a marketing tool to push GM food in the continent

18 September 2002 - GM food crops up in court after 3-year battle (Cape Times, South Africa)
1 September 2002 - UK Government Chief Scientist slams US GM 'aid' to Africa as a 'massive human experiment' (Observer, UK)
1 September 2002 - Zambian GM food aid decision highlights global problems (FoE) The experience of Mexico,where GM contamination of wild maize stock has been detected in the last two years, suggests that the Zambian Government was right to be cautious.

The experience of Mexico,where GM contamination of wild maize stock has been detected in the last two years, suggests that the Zambian Government was right to be cautious.

31 August 2002 - African Civil Society Statement on GM 'Food Aid' (African Civil Society Group)
31 August 2002 - Greenpeace, Zambia reject U.S. claim (Washington Times)
28 August 2002 - Corporatisation of the Seeds of Life (Earthlife Africa)
26 August 2002 - Statement of Solidarity with Southern African Nations Over GM Food and Crops (IATP)
22 August 2002 - EU Declines US Call to Reassure Africa on GMO Food (Reuters) The European Union on Thursday rejected calls from Washington for it to reassure African countries that genetically modified (GM) food aid from the United States is safe.

The European Union on Thursday rejected calls from Washington for it to reassure African countries that genetically modified (GM) food aid from the United States is safe.

22 August 2002 - US seeks EU help to force GM food on Africa (Green MEPs) It is clearly unacceptable for the US to impose a solution to starvation which will have a devastating impact on the ability of farmers to feed themselves in the future.

It is clearly unacceptable for the US to impose a solution to starvation which will have a devastating impact on the ability of farmers to feed themselves in the future.

22 August 2002 - Levy explains government's rejection of GM maize (The Post, Zambia)
19 August 2002 - Zambia Finally Rejects Transgenic Food Aid (ENS)
18 August 2002 - Zambia Bars Altered Corn From U.S. (AP)
17 August 2002 - Zambia turns down GM aid (BBC News)
15 August 2002 - Zambian scientists urge state to reject GMO maize (Zamnet News, Zambia)
13 August 2002 - US Comes Under Attack Over GMOs (The Post, Zambia)
8 August 2002 - Beware Americans Bearing Gifts - Another Poisoned Chalice in Africa (Food First)
6 August 2002 - Africa torn between GM aid and starvation (The Times, UK)
3 August 2002 - Zimbabwe Continues to Block Gene-Altered Corn (Washington Post)
30 July 2002 - Dignity in hunger (The Post, Zambia)
26 July 2002 - Eat GM or starve, America tells Africa (Reuters)
1 June 2002 - Starving Zimbabwe shuns offer of GM maize (Guardian, UK)
31 May 2002 - Zimbabwe turns away U.S. food consignment (AP)
3 May 2002 - GM Products Raise Food Costs (Mail & Guardian, South Africa)
5 April 2002 - Pressure On EU to Ban GM Crops (Mail & Guardian South Africa)