BIOTECH OUTREACH: MALAWI REQUEST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000156

SIPDIS

FOR EB/TPP/ABT/BTT (DMalac and Jbobo)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON TBIO TSPL ETRD SENV EAGR MI
SUBJECT: BIOTECH OUTREACH: MALAWI REQUEST

REF: State 15050


1. Summary. In 2002 Malawi enacted a Biosafety Act,
which created a framework for regulating biotechnology.
Necessary regulatory structures and guidelines have not
followed, however, and implementation remains weak. The
arrival of USG food aid in 2002 and 2003 raised safety
and environmental concerns among some members of the
public, the NGO community, and some in Government. Given
Malawi's recurrent food crises, including another
possible shortage this year, advancing USG policy on
biotech is a Mission priority. Post therefore requests
$48,000 in funding for an outreach program. End summary.


2. Goals:

The Mission outreach program targets two groups:
the policy makers and the consumers. The Public Affairs
Section has already held several lectures and an AFNET on
biotech issues, and the Malawi public has expressed
interest in learning more. Malawian scientists are
largely pro-biotech and understand the scientific issues.
Policy makers need educating, however, and so does the
public. Rumors of infertility and illness due to biotech
maize persist. There have also been reports in the press
that biotech maize is unsafe to eat and is brought to
Malawi from the U.S. as a dumping ground, and that
biotech maize is only eaten by cattle in the US.


3. PAS has already started a partnership with the Malawi
Human Rights Youth Network (MHRYN),targeting civil
society with the message that biotech maize is safe to
eat. MHRYN is well-placed to reach out to NGOs and other
human rights groups. Together, we have mounted a national
civic education awareness campaign for civil society
organizations, government officials, agriculture
extension workers, farmers and consumers of biotech
maize, but lack funding to reach a broad audience. For
this message to be best delivered, a baseline survey of
beliefs and concerns would help focus our outreach
strategy.


4. Malawi also needs information on biotech at the
technical and policy levels. Policy makers need to
develop implementation tools for the biotech policy.
Malawi scientists must decide what the biotech investment
priorities are so that the biotech agenda can be driven
by Malawians. Malawi policy makers need to understand
that biotech is a tool for fighting hunger. Biotech food
must have appropriate regulations, needs to be grown in
an environmentally safe manner, and should not endanger
Malawi's trading status with other countries.


5. Audiences and strategies:

The Public Affairs Section and the committee chaired
by MHRYN propose a multi-faceted public diplomacy
campaign targeting a variety of audiences.

a) Policy makers and academics: Invite an U.S. Speaker
and Malawian scientists to spend one week with the
appropriate Ministry of Agriculture officials to develop
guidelines and structures for the biotech policy.
Utilize examples of approved biotech legislation and
develop a framework for implementing existing
legislation. The U.S. Speaker would also be invited to
conduct a workshop aimed at Ministry of Agriculture and
Ministry of Economic Planning officials and other
appropriate government officials and academics (two days)
to consider Malawi's biotech investment strategies. To
follow up these meetings, the Public Affairs Section
would continue with roundtable discussions and academic
lectures with Malawian scientists to further develop
biotech strategies.
b) Consumers: Visit the most populated districts with a
local biotech expert, train local NGOS to communicate
with the villagers, and supply pamphlets and
informational material in the local language explaining
the safety of biotech maize. Pamphlets would be in
simple language but would explain the basics of biotech.
Design radio and television messages - advertisements and
longer shows/discussion - to widely disseminate the
biotech message (i.e. that biotech maize is safe to eat).
Advertisements would be in local languages discussing the
safety of biotech maize. Longer discussions would focus
on a variety of topics, including the uses of biotech,
biotech as a tool for fighting hunger, biotech and the
environment, and biotech and trade. The key to this
strategy is that Malawian NGOs and experts will help
disseminate the message, not just U.S. officials
discussing U.S. policy.


6. Budget:

Total budget requested: $48,000
Breakdown:
U.S. Speaker and workshops for policy makers:
$19,000:
$6,000 for U.S. Speaker (10 days)
$10,000 in workshop costs (including one week
with Ministry of Agriculture): room rental,
transport and lodging for participants ($56/day
for seven days for 20 participants plus room
rental and transport)
$2,000 for printed materials
$1,000 for room rental and related expenses for
future round table discussions

NGO training: $15,000:

$8,000 travel and accommodation
car hire: $3,200
fuel: $1,800
Accommodation, meals and expert fees:
$3,000
$6,000 brochures and pamphlets:
design: $1,500
printing:$4,500
$1,000 poster: design and printing

Radio and television messages: $9,000

$2,000 development of adverts
$5,000 airtime on radio and television
$1,000 newspaper adverts
$1,000 expert fees for radio/TV shows

Baseline survey: $5,000
To conduct a survey of beliefs and
misinformation about biotech at the consumer
level.
$3,500: transport and accommodation
$1,000: fees for survey workers
$ 500: administration costs, stationery

Browning