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WFP to give Zambia wheat instead of genetically modified food
-(Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2002 -- CropChoice news)
Agence France Presse, 09/09/2002:
The World Food Program said that it is considering giving Zambia wheat
after its government rejected genetically modified maize to help feed more
than two million people threatened by starvation. WFP executive director
James Morris told journalists that the UN agency and the Zambian
government were now working on a project to find out how much wheat Zambia
would need.
"We have already agreed to provide wheat, which is non-GM," Morris said.
The Zambian government rejected food aid which was genetically modified,
saying the food must first be proven safe for human consumption and the
environment.
Morris said the WFP also has acquired about 12,000 tonnes of yellow maize
from South Africa, which is not genetically modified, to feed the hungry
Zambians who have been affected with famine caused by an unrelenting
drought. "We have told the Zambian government that we will do everything
possible to help whenever we can," Morris said.
He said the Zambian government has given them permission to distribute GM
foods in refugee camps, on condition that the food is milled before it is
given out. The Zambian government has so far sent its scientists to
different western countries to do further studies on the safety of the GM
foods before making any further decision on the matter.
Morris said Zambia needed about 72 million dollars (euros) to feed the
hungry people, though donors have only pledged about 25 million dollars. | |
