USG-SPONSORED BT EVENT RE-STARTS GMO DIALOGUE AND DEBATE IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LUSAKA 000964

DEPARTMENT FOR EEB/CBA DENNIS WINSTEAD
DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR EEB/TPP/ABT JACK BOBO AND MARCELLA SZYMANSKI
COMMERCE FOR 4510/ITA/IEP/ANESA/OA

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ETRD ECON BTIO ZA
SUBJECT: USG-SPONSORED BT EVENT RE-STARTS GMO DIALOGUE AND DEBATE IN
ZAMBIA

REF: A) LUSAKA 208

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SUMMARY


1. (SBU) A one day seminar on biotechnology (BT) in October funded
with EEB BT outreach funds brought together Ministry of Agriculture
officials, commodity traders and farmers, scientists and private
sector representatives to hear presentations on the current state of
BT, and how genetically modified organism (GMO) acceptance could
help Zambia's agricultural sector. The event, organized by the
Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa
(ACTESA),a USG-supported agency of the Common Market for Eastern
and Southern Africa (COMESA),represented one of the first public
dialogues on the benefits of BT crops since Zambia banned all GMOs
in 2003 and effectively cut off debate on the issue in 2005. While
opposition to BT in the Zambian government (GRZ) and the private
sector remains an issue, senior GRZ officials have expressed an
interest in removing the ban (reftel),and Embassy Lusaka is
developing a medium-term strategy to move Zambia towards BT
acceptance. End Summary.

SEMINAR HIGHLIGHTS


2. (U) COMESA Assistant Secretary General Stephen Karangizi opened
the seminar by noting COMESA's support for the introduction of GMOs
in its 19 member countries, including Zambia. He explained that BT
acceptance would increase agricultural output and could open
marginal land to agricultural production by utilizing crop strains
that thrive in more adverse conditions, helping countries become
more food secure. He assured skeptics in the audience that COMESA
understood the concerns of those opposed to BT, and said COMESA
would support systems that carefully evaluated new technology used
in countries' quests to improve agricultural productivity.


3. (U) Dr. Faith Nguthi, Senior Program Officer at the International
Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)
explained that BT crops, which improve productivity and income,
protect bio-diversity, and reduce the need for fertilizer and other
external inputs, helped alleviate poverty for 12.3 million small
farmers around the world in 2008. She explained that, given the
evidence in favor of introducing BT, the challenges for countries
contemplating such a step include establishing responsible and
efficient regulatory systems appropriate for developing countries
and effectively communicating the benefits of BT to society. Dr.
Nguthi offered ISAA support in BT information sharing, advocacy and
scientific training.

4. (U) David Wafula, Programme for Biosafety Systems Coordinator in
Kenya for the International Food Policy Research Institute,
discussed BT commodity trade and regional market access issues. He
argued that as countries in the region continued to introduce BT
crops, including maize and cotton, countries like Zambia that
continue to adhere to a strict ban on GMOs will lose out on regional
trade and be hampered in their regional integration efforts. Wafula
stressed that GMOs on the international market have passed risk
assessments conducted by multiple national authorities, including
stringent environmental and human health risk assessments.

5. (U) Tamala Kambikambi, a lecturer in Agronomy at the University
of Zambia, discussed social, cultural and ethical aspects of GMOs.
She noted that countries needed to strike a balance between
excessive anxiety and too little caution when discussing the
introduction of BT crops, and said that lack of public awareness
over the potential benefits of GMOs created an unnecessary barrier
to BT acceptance. She added that countries like Zambia currently
lack the capacity to monitor and regulate GMOs, which further
hinders their introduction. Kambikambi concluded that Zambia should
work with other African countries to promote home-grown BT research
through public/private partnerships and develop sound and rational
BT policies to regulate its introduction and development.
ZAMBIA AND BT - A SORDID HISTORY

6. (SBU) At EU urging (and under EU trade restriction threats),the
GRZ adopted a non-GMO policy in the early 2000s. In 2002, at the
height of a severe drought in Zambia, the GRZ rejected a
humanitarian donation of GMO corn from the United States, citing
lack of information on the technology. In the aftermath,
then-President Levy Mwanawasa declared a total ban on GMOs in
Zambia. The ban is still in force, but it is not backed up by
legislation. In 2007, a private, humanitarian donation of rice was
rejected at the border. As recently as February 2009, the GRZ
rejected a consignment of maize from South Africa to cover a
shortfall in Zambia's food reserves when 75 percent of the 100,000
metric tons was found to be a genetically modified varietal.
Despite its economic hardships, Zambia continues to pay premiums for
non-GMO food imports.

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7. (U) During the seminar, Rodger Saidi Phiri, president of the
National Association of Peasant and Small Scale Farmers, declared
his continued opposition to GMOs. Phiri and his association members
were vocal supporters of a ban during the 2002 anti-GMO debate.
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives officials told Emboff that
Phiri continues to command authority in the Ministry.

COMMENT


8. (SBU) While there remains opposition to BT introduction in Zambia
within the GRZ and the private sector, GRZ officials at the highest
levels have expressed an interest in removing the ban. Rather than
taking what they believe is the politically risky step of publicly
supporting the introduction of GMOs outright, the GRZ has asked the
Embassy to jumpstart the dialogue on BT acceptance (reftel). Some
contend that Zambian consumers have long been exposed to GMOs
through imported cooking oils and other imported processed or
refined products. Embassy is developing a medium-term strategy to
move Zambia towards BT acceptance. The seminar was a good first
step, as it was one of the first public forums where BT was
discussed in Zambia in years. COMESA expects to have a USAID-funded
BT adviser in place in early 2010, and Embassy will continue to work
closely with COMESA on the issue.

KOPLOVSKY