|
Importation of GMOs comes under scrutiny
2005-10-04 22:59:42
By Beatrice Philemon
In December this year, Tanzania will launch the National Biosafety Regulations (NBR) to control the import of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) products .
Dr Shaban Mwinjaka, National Coordinator of the National Biosafety Framework project in the Vice President Office, told the Financial Times last week that the preparations for the implementation of the regulations governing GMOs are almost complete.
The core function of the national biosafety regulations would be to strengthen institutions that would be dealing with GMO products and addressing issues regarding the use of modern biotechnology particularly on biosafety issues such as health, environmental and socio- cultural and ethical impacts.
Other core functions would be to manage and control the risks associated with the import of GMOs.
The measures necessary include the regulation of the handling, transport, packaging and identification of GMOs.
Other core functions would be to coordinate activities and programs on research and development and their applications.
Allocating appropriate resources for the upgrading of capacities and capabilities to effectively regulate the GM technology and its products is also inclusive.
According to him, during the implementation of the (NBR), the Vice President’s office would grant funds to buy equipment, which would be used in promoting biosafety and modern biotechnology for farmers and other stakeholders.
Training will be offered to experts who will be educating farmers, businesspersons, and other people willing to use modern biotechnology in agricultural activities.
”We would provide training on this technology because, the level of public awareness on biotechnology and biosafety in the country is extremely low even amongst the scientific community,” he said.
Training experts on biosafety technology and modern biotechnology would assist farmers to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of GMOs and modern biotechnology.
”I am saying this because modern biotechnology is an emerging tool with the potential to improve human and animal health, agriculture, industrial and agricultural production as well as environmental protection,” he noted.
The development and application of modern biotechnology have been associated with both opportunities and concerns over the risks of GMOs to human and animal health, biodiversity and the environment.
Furthermore, modern technology brings new challenges for the policy and regulatory framework for the year ahead, he said, noting that close cooperation on biotechnology, biosafety issues and trade at the national, regional and international levels is crucial and should be promoted.
”In order to conduct work of a highly technical nature, such as modern biotechnology in a manner that is safe, and which contributes to sustainable economic development, Tanzania has to make sure it does not perpetuate economic dependency without the necessary local capacity to deal with it,” he said.
He said that the issue of the market for GMOs is very crucial in connection with traditional exports, and most of the country’s currently exported crops are non- genetically modified crops whose market is the European Union .
|
