eBusiness Weekly
BH24 Reporter
HARARE – Zimbabwe must promote the understanding of national biosafety issues to enhance the country’s capacity to manage and handle potential risks associated with genetically modified organisms (GMO) products, a senior government official says.
Opening a Biosafety Clearing House training workshop recently, the principal director of livestock and veterinary services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Dr Unesu Ushewokunze–Obatulu, said training was vital for all experts involved in the clearing of goods.
“We hope that all decision makers and stakeholders will be made aware of the Biosafety Clearing House (BCH) and are able to use it to make informed decisions with regards to Living Modified Organism importation and release in the environment, thereof,” said Dr Ushewokunze – Obatulu who also chairs the National Biotechnology Authority board.
“The BCH will ensure that risks posed to biodiversity by LMOs are mitigated through enhanced information system at national level.
“It is in light of this that we have planned this workshop with you our most valued stakeholders in order to improve the national competence on using the BCH platform.”
The NBA organised the workshop on the BCH to improve national competence on using the BCH platform by all stakeholders and to enhance understanding and appreciation of what must be placed on the BCH platform.
The Biosafety Clearing House is an information exchange mechanism established under Article 20 (1) of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to assist parties to implement provisions of this international agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling, transportation and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on human health and the environment.
Speaking at the same event, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) official Emmanuel Kabali commended the NBA for organising the timely training as it is crucial for Zimbabwe to create a team that will effectively engage the public and provide information in a way that builds their trust and clears misconceptions.
The FAO, he said, had also been active in the area of LMOs or GMOs especially with regards to GM food safety assessment.
It has done this through the establishment of the Codex Alimenturius Commission – an Intergovernmental standards setting body established by the FAO and the WHO in the 1960s.
This platform is an information depository which is accessible to the general public that needs access to information on GMOs.
“This event is of importance, both to the nation of Zimbabwe, the African continent and the world at large,” Kabali said. “It is our sincere hope that there will be objective and productive deliberations which will provide a clear way forward with benefits in Zimbabwe, the Southern African sub region and beyond.”
The safety of biotech crops is still treated with skepticism by the public and experts much still remains to be done to strengthen the capacity of key stakeholders to effectively communicate biosafety processes and on the safety and benefits of transgenic foods.
The workshop took place at the University of Zimbabwe National High Performance Computer Centre.
Participants to the workshop were drawn from government departments, universities and research institutes.
