Why does Zambia reject genetically modified food?
Zambia became well known in 2002 at a time of a severe food shortage, because it said no to the United States’ offer to ship in genetically modified maize. The government, along with farmers and civil society groups—various non-governmental organizations made up of trade unions, women’s groups, human rights organizations and church groups—was concerned about the introduction into the country of genetically modified organisms that might affect agricultural production. Because of research we ourselves had done at the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection, we feared that the impact on the small-scale farmers might be harmful, modifying the general agricultural infrastructure. The Zambian farmers save and replant seed, but the genetically modified kind often has a “terminator” factor, so that it cannot be replanted. There are also concerns that the genetically modified food might negatively affect health. Some scientists, too, wonder about the consequences when nature is tampered with b
