The emergency food aid program in Zambia will come to a halt in weeks if the country does not reverse its prohibition of genetically-modified maize, the UN World Food Program has warned. About 2.3 million Zambians face severe food shortages due to drought.
The alarm was sounded as the WFP increased its estimate of the number of people in Southern Africa in dire need of assistance to 14.4 million people. In May, it estimated that 12.8 million people would need help before next April鈥檚 harvest.
Zambian scientists are currently on a fact-finding tour of the US and Europe and a decision to lift or continue the ban is expected in 10 days. 鈥淏ut any delay is not good for the people of Zambia,鈥� says the WFP鈥檚 Richard Lee.
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鈥淲e currently have 7000 tonnes of non-GM maize, provided by the UK鈥檚 Department for International Development, which will last two weeks,鈥� he told 快猫短视频. There is also 12,000 tonnes of yellow non-GM maize from South Africa, but this is awaiting an import permit.
鈥淚ntrinsically dangerous鈥�
Zambia has cited health concerns as a reason for rejecting GM maize. President Levy Mwanawasa recently told the World Summit in Johannesburg: 鈥淪imply because my people are hungry that is no justification to give them poison, to give them food that is intrinsically dangerous to their health.鈥�
Other countries, including Zimbabwe and Malawi, have only accepted milled GM maize, fearing that the planting of GM crops could adversely affect their domestic agriculture.
鈥淲e respect the Zambian government鈥檚 right to make decisions on behalf of its people 鈥� we are neutral on GM crops,鈥� says Lee. 鈥淏ut what we have said is that we will find it difficult to source the vast quantity of food needed without US [GM] maize.鈥�
Lethal combination
The prospects for the 2003 harvest are mixed. Forecasters predict normal rainfall until December and normal or slightly reduced rainfall afterwards. But this assumes that the expected El Nino event is mild.
An immediate problem is that the fields should be being prepared for sowing in October. But many farmers are malnourished and suffering from HIV, meaning they are unable to put in long hours in the field. Monday鈥檚 UN assessment emphasised the 鈥渓ethal combination of hunger and HIV鈥�.
Furthermore, many people across the region do not have seeds, let alone fertiliser. 鈥淎s a coping mechanism many have eaten their seeds and sold their oxen needed to plough the ground. It鈥檚 not going to be a bumper harvest,鈥� says Lee. That is why the UN is appealing for agricultural supplies, as well as food aid, he says.