A. Mutumba-Lule
9 September 2002
THE NATIONAL Agricultural Council (NAC) has warned President Yoweri Museveni of the dangers of allowing genetically modified seeds into the country.
The head of the council, Prof J.J. Otim, who is also the presidential advisor on agriculture, said last week that he had written a brief to the president, telling him that allowing GM seeds into the country would enslave the peasant farmers to multinational companies, who propagate the seeds.
Prof Otim said the use of GM seeds would affect Ugandan exports as the EU market, "for which we produce primary commodities, is against GM foods."
The EU has withheld approval of new varieties of GM crops and, in some European countries, anti-biotech sentiments are as strong as those on public health.
As NAC sounded the warning, various organisations dealing with food security and the environment in Uganda have started consultative meetings to discuss the dangers posed by the GM seeds.
Mr Sam Watasa, an executive member of the Uganda Consumer Protection Association (UCPA), said they had held several meetings with ActionAid, Accord, VECO Uganda and DENIVA to acquaint themselves with the key issues on GM foods.
"We have information that a new company is planning to start distributing genetically modified maize seeds in some parts of western Uganda. We are concerned as this would threaten food security," said Mr Watasa.
He said the biggest danger in the seeds was their terminator gene, which prevents replanting them after harvest. A company with connections with the US-based Monsanto is producing the seeds.
"We have to buy new seeds from the company supplying them in every planting season," said Daniel Zirubagire, a farmer from Kabale District. He, however, admitted that GM seeds have the capacity to raise production threefold.
But given the relatively small local market for maize in Uganda and the campaign against GM foods, increasing maize production is not necessary since farm gate prices in the past two seasons - when the harvest was good - was at an all-time low of Ush40 (under one US cent) per kilogramme.
"The price improved only after we secured markets in Zambia," said a farmer.
Agriculture experts say the biggest danger posed by growing GM crops is that most farmers in Uganda are poor and cannot afford to buy seeds every planting season, especially when they can't find a market for their produce.
The country's food security would also be in the hands of the multinational companies selling the seeds as they would determine the quantity of seeds that should be allowed in the market.
UCPA said there was also the danger of cross-pollination. There are claims that biotech maize can cross-pollinate with other species of plants, such as cauliflower or fruits.
"If, for example, Garden A has GMO crops and Garden B does not, cross-pollination will affect Garden B and the terminator gene will be introduced," said Mr Edmond Kizito, who has compiled data on the GM crops.
Additional reporting by David Musoke.
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