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Kenya: Farmers cast doubt over GMO technology

  1. Posted on Thursday 2 October 2008 - 14:16
    Evans Wafula
    Image of Evans Wafula
    Across section of Small Scale Farmers in Kenya have warned aganist the passing of the Biodiversity Bill without consultation.

    Led by representatives of crop farmers, pastoralists and fisherfolk, the officials vowed to oppose any attempts to pass the Bill without considerable consultations with the stakeholders.

    "We are not opposed to GMOs, but they are a danger to food security and our indigenous gene pool" said Eluid Ngunjiri, Chairman of Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Association.

    According to officials, Patented GMO crops are likely to threaten the soil content directly affecting the farmers’ ability to save and share their indigenous seeds.

    Proponets of the technology maintain that its adoptiong will address food security and improve the quality of seed. However, most crop farmers argue that GMOs will reduce seed security and will not address food security.

    Already long and short term effects on our health and environment cause by GMOs are likely to be reported in places where the technology has been use.

    Despite the Biodiversity Bill recieving opposition across Africa, only South Africa has passed it and Kenya seem to have come closer to passing it.

    The debate on partinent has also featured in the bill with proponents accusing multinationals of attempting to take control of food systems.

    In an earlier statement released by stakeholders, they warned that the new seeds may create conflict between farmers due to the risks of cross pollination from GMO to non GMO crops leading to contamination between farms.

    Currently, Kenya is being faced with a looming food shortage with most parts of the country experiencing slow drought while the rain patterns changing.

    The post-election violence witnessed early in the year coupled with the emerging global challemges food prices and costs of fertilizers has affected farmers leading to low crop yeilds and lack of seeds.

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