{"id":314,"date":"2017-03-10T06:53:59","date_gmt":"2017-03-10T06:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.esaff.org\/?p=314"},"modified":"2017-03-10T06:53:59","modified_gmt":"2017-03-10T06:53:59","slug":"will-gmos-solve-hunger-problems-in-uganda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/esaff.org\/index-php\/will-gmos-solve-hunger-problems-in-uganda\/","title":{"rendered":"Will GMOs solve hunger problems in Uganda?"},"content":{"rendered":"

23\/06\/2010<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Patrick Jaramogi\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
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Genetically modified seeds will not end hunger in Africa.\u00a0While responding to the commissioner for crop marketing and production in the agriculture ministry, Alex Lwakoba\u2019s remarks\u00a0on improved seeds, Dr. Dan Maingi, an expert from Kenya Bio-diversity Coalition warned Ugandan farmers on the dangers of genetically modified seeds (GMOs).<\/span><\/div>\n
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\u201cAfrica has indigenous seeds that produce good crops. We have enough food but the issue is distribution,\u201d Maingi said. But Lwakoba emphasised the need for improved seeds, saying the lack of high quality seeds was\u00a0one of the factors stifling the performance of the agricultural sector.<\/span><\/div>\n
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He said the country was in dire need of seeds following what he described as \u201cfailure\u201d on the part of seed companies.\u00a0The two were speaking during a seed exhibition at Hotel Triangle in Kampala recently.<\/span><\/div>\n
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\u201cThe country has no seeds. We carried out a survey in May and proved this. Much as the Government liberalised the seed industry, they are frustrating the farmers,\u201d Lwakoba said.\u00a0He said the ministry would release the findings of the survey.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Lwakoba added that the Government had handed the mandate of provision of seeds to 20 companies, but he described the efforts as \u201cnot worthy\u201d.<\/span><\/div>\n
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\u201cThe seeds supplied by these companies are not reliable. The companies are blaming the Government for not recruiting enough seed inspectors while the NGOs and farmers are blaming us for not having a national seed policy,\u201d Lwakoba said.<\/span><\/div>\n
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The Government is carrying out research on genetically modified cassava, bananas and cotton. Dr. Mathew Schnurr, a researcher on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from Canada said the seeds are a success in Canada and the US.<\/span><\/div>\n
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\u201cI am here to find out if you are interested in GM seeds. We have used them successfully for 40 years,\u201d he said. Joseph Magezi, a farmer said: \u201cWe cannot be sure of these seeds. They are not tasty and the terms and conditions are very stringent.\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n
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Schnurr said South Africa, Egypt and Kenya had started using GM seeds adding that 12 other countries including Uganda are conducting research on the seeds.<\/span><\/div>\n
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Maingi added that the hunger in Africa is due to poverty and inequality and not food scarcity.\u00a0\u201cStick to indigenous seeds. GMOs contain toxins harmful to life,\u201d he advised.<\/span><\/div>\n
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The event was organised by ESAFF Uganda, SEATINI, VEDCO and PELUM Uganda \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0for more information contact: nancy@esaff.org<\/a> or esaffuganda@yahoo.co.uk<\/a><\/div>\n

You can also read the article online at: http:\/\/www.newvision.co.ug\/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=9&newsCategoryId=37&newsId=722826<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

23\/06\/2010 By Patrick Jaramogi\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Genetically modified seeds will not end hunger in Africa.\u00a0While responding to the commissioner for crop marketing and production in the agriculture ministry, Alex Lwakoba\u2019s remarks\u00a0on improved seeds, Dr. Dan Maingi, an expert from Kenya Bio-diversity Coalition warned Ugandan farmers on the dangers of genetically modified seeds (GMOs). \u201cAfrica has indigenous seeds… <\/p>\n

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