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The month of June is almost gone and with it the intensification of the cold season.
Besides the cold weather what else is happening?
It is elections season in Kenya...may the best team win. While all this political theatrics is unfolding, it is abundantly clear from their manifestos that the issue of food security, which includes food safety, is hardly given any prominence despite its far reaching implications not only on food security but also on the health of the population: There is no mention by the key political parties of their position regarding the introduction of GMOs which have controversial safety concerns.
Over the last decade and a half, there has been an orchestrated pressure to have African countries adopt genetic engineering and to start cultivating genetically modified crops. The campaign is bankrolled by giant biotech companies in collaboration with some developed countries with the main interest being to increase its global market share for seed and agrochemicals in the continent and elsewhere in the world. The companies have been financing a powerful GM-lobby that has widespread influence with policy makers, academia as well as the media. The giant biotech companies are interested in increasing market share for seed and agrochemicals.
Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (BIBA), an umbrella body representing over 60 member organizations whose main objective is to ensure the public is AWARE and ALERT on issues of concern on environment, agriculture, livestock, food safety and health and biodiversity, works with small scale farmers and has been calling upon the Kenya government, as well as other African governments, to tread carefully before embracing the GMOs. BIBA’s stand is informed by the fact that the application of other ‘traditional’ options such as land reforms, irrigation, and adoption of sustainable agro-ecological practices, like organic farming, as well as preservation of indigenous farming techniques has been proved to offer better, long-term results for societies struggling to feed ever-growing population.
BIBA, together with other partners, contributed in influencing the decision of Kenyan Cabinet to ban the importation of GMO food stuffs in Kenya in 2012, and engaged with the Prof. Kihumbu Thairu Taskforce appointed to advise on the ban and championed for its sustenance. This ban remains in place even though the government has not released the Prof. Kihumbu Thairu Task Force Report more than 6 year after it was completed.
Food Sovereignty and the Right to Food is a fundamental pillar in BIBA’s work as we focus on guidance provided by the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). The IAASTD recommends that policy makers move away from industrial agriculture and GMOs, to food production systems that are appropriate for the millions of small-scale farmers around the world, who are primarily responsible for the global population’s sustenance.
The promotion of GM technology in agriculture has been done under the guise that GMOs are needed to address food insecurity in Kenya and other African countries whereas classic examples from South Africa, India and Burkina Faso, among many others, demonstrate huge failures in the GM technology; this has been coupled with bans by countries of GMOs citing food safety, health and environmental concerns.
The promotion of GM technology in agriculture has been done under the guise that GMOs are needed to address food insecurity in Kenya and other African countries whereas classic examples from South Africa, India and Burkina Faso, among many others, demonstrate huge failures in the GM technology; this has been coupled with bans by countries of GMOs citing food safety, health and environmental concerns.
The Constitution in the Bill of rights, Article 431c provides that every person has the right to be free from hunger and to have adequate food of acceptable quality. The Constitution in Article 46 further states that consumers have the right to information necessary for them to gain benefit from goods and services as well as protection of their health and safety. It is imperative that the quality is free from adverse substances and acceptable within given culture.
BIBA Kenya together with its members have greatly contributed in influencing policies geared towards sustainable food production such as incorporation of organic farming, agroecology, integrated pest and disease management to minimise the use of chemicals so as to ensure safe food production.
What is the safer alternative way forward?