26 August 2008
Kampala — Ugandan scientists have asked the East African Community to adopt a single policy for Genetically Modified (GM) products.
The executive secretary of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology, Dr. Peter Ndebere, made the call during a workshop held at Imperial Royal Hotel recently.
"Our countries have similar challenges. Having the same policy for GMS will help improve our farming as well as fight household famine and poverty," Ndebere said.
Apart from increasing agricultural yields, scientists claim the biotechnology policy and law will help the Government decide whether or not to approve commercialisation of genetically modified products.
"We share borders; if other countries like Kenya legalise biotech products, by all means such products will cross to Uganda.
How will Uganda stop entry of these products into the country minus a law?" he asked.
Dr. Roshan Abdullah, a scientist from the East African Community-Arusha, said all the East African countries were in the process of drafting policies on biotech but were all at different stages. Kenya and Tanzania are ahead of the rest.
Although scientists are advocating a single policy, most countries still have a problem convincing the environmentalists that genetically modified products shall not be harmful to the public.
The state minister for environment, Jessica Eriyo, said the Government was positive about the idea of having a law on biotechnology because it will help control the influx of the genetically modified products especially from the developed world.
Although the policy is not yet out, scientists in Uganda have already embarked on the use of biotechnology and biosafety technique at a research level.
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