GMO the way to go: Farmers

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FARMER organisations in the country have called on government to consider adopting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) technology to boost food production

FARMER organisations in the country have called on the government to consider adopting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) technology to boost food production and improve the competitiveness of local farmers as agriculture sector continues in comatose. GAMMA MUDARIKIRI OWN CORRESPONDENT

In an interview with Southern Eye Business yesterday, commercial farmers’ union (CFU) president Charles Taffs said the government should consider adopting GMO technology to boost food production in the country and improve farmer competitiveness as other regional countries were already using the technology.

“Zimbabwe cannot be left behind as most countries in region have adopted the GMO technology and in such a scenario we cannot compete with them as local farmers,” Taffs said.

“The government should consider adopting use of the technology to also boost production. What is needed are necessary control mechanisms through regulation not to totally close out the idea,” he added.

GMOs refer to any food products that have been altered at the gene level and are said have low cost base structure in terms of production; have high yield; are cheap due to lower costs of production, among other variables which the farmer organisation said would go a long way in averting food shortage in the country.

Zimbabwe is battling with food shortages largely due to poor performance of agriculture as the government is struggling to finance the sector.

The country this year experienced a serious maize deficit, forcing it to import grain after harvesting only 750 000 metric tonnes of maize.

The government had to import 150 000 metric tonnes of maize from Zambia to cover for the deficit. CFU recently predicted another poor agricultural season citing shoddy preparations for the current planting season caused by a shortage of inputs and working capital due to the prevalent liquidity squeeze in the market.

The adoption of GMOs, according to CFU, would go a long way in salvaging the country’s deplorable agriculture sector.

But the government has maintained that it would not adopt GMO technology citing health concerns, although the majority of consumers in the country are already consuming GMO food imported from neighbouring countries.

Last week Agriculture minister Joseph Made told parliamentarians that the government would not adopt GMO technology despite calls by some of the members for the country to consider that.

“There are consumers worldwide that are also in the debate that they will not want GMO material and so, when we take the medium to long-term approach, Zimbabwe is endowed with more agriculture land and at the end of the day, we are a small population,” Made said.

“From a policy point of view, I think I have clarified to the Members of Parliament and to the public in general that for now, it’s a no for GMOs,” he added.

The Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president Wonder Chapikwa, although admitting that the country would have to adopt GMO technology to boost food production, said it was too early for such as policy considering the country’s small population.

“It is still too early for the country to adopt GMO technology,” Chapikwa said.

“In future when the population is bigger we can consider that,” he added.

Chapikwa said the government should priorities reviving irrigation schemes in the country.

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