THE EDITORIAL NEWS

GOVERNMENT HAS COMPROMISED ZAMBIA'S FOOD SECURITY . ..South Africa started buying Non GM maize for cereal from Zambia after parents, health workers in that country saw an increase of behavioral disorders in children for consuming cereals made from GMO maize, says former foreign minister. By Alfonso Kasongo Zambia's foood security has been compromised hence the government's schemes to import country's staple food made from Genetically modified maize from South Africa, Former Foreign Affairs minister has revealed. Harry Kalaba,former Foreign Affairs minister under the Patriotic Front government, now,a  leader of opposition Citizens First (CF) is disheartened by the comments from  Vice Republican President Mutale Nalumango that GMO Mealie meal is safe for human consumption. Mr. Kalaba has reminded Zambians that South Africa has been buying maize from Zambia because of the policies around non-GMOs.  "South Africa started buying maize for cereal from Zambia after parent...

DRINKING OF KACHASU TO AVOID,TREAT CHOLERA WAS A MENTAL ISSUE, SAYS PSYCHIATRIC EXPERT . ..and poor nutrition in adults due to alcohol itself  was one of the major challenges to case management to save lives in most cholera patients,who were alcohol abusers. By Alfonso Kasongo Drinking of Kachasu, a high potent local brew (spirit), to avoid and treat cholera was triggered by anxiety ,fear of unknown among residents in high risk areas, a renowned mental health specialist ,Dr. Naeem Dalal has disclosed. And Dr Dalal adds that poor nutrition in adults due to alcohol itself  was one of the major challenges to manage cases to save lives in most patients with high  alcohol intake. Dalal discloses that such patients had their hydration compromised by alcohol especially Kachasu and other high percentage alcoholic beverages (spirits),locally known as tujilijili. In an interview with the Editorial News, to ascertain the impact of cholera  ourbreak on mental health, Dr. Da...

OVER 5 METRIC TONS OF GMO MEALIE MEAL GOES MISSING AT A MILITARY WAREHOUSE AT KASUMBALESA BOARDER . ..raising concerns the staple food might be offloaded on the Zambian market.   By Alfonso Kasongo Two hundred and twelve by 25 KG bags of genetically modified (GM) mealie meal amounting to 5.3 metric tonnes have been stolen at a heavily manned military warehouse at Kasumbalesa borader in Chililabombwe district. The stolen mealie meal valued at K68,000 was meant for export to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from South Africa by the Zambia National Service (ZNS) managed Eagles Holding Milling, a military wing in the Zambia Defence Force. The importation and transit of the mealie meal produced from genetically modified maize to DRC has been controversial, with stakeholders raising some concerns that the product might find itself on the local market. They fear that GMO mealie meal is not safe for human consumption and placing it on the local market will compromise the...

PROLONGED DRY SPELLS AFFECT MAIZE,SOYA BEANS FIELDS IN MAMBWE DISTRICT By Alfonso Kasongo Zambia is expected to continue experiencing dry spells ,the meteorological department has forecast. The department discloses that poor rainfall is expected from 7th -14tth February,2023. However, some maize and soyabeans fields in Chiief Mnkanya's area in Mambwe district of Eastern Province are reported to have been negatively affected by the prolonged dry spell that the country has experienced over some weeks now. The small-holder farmers in the area have disclosed that crops like maize and soya beans are the most affected in some parts of Eastern Province. The development poses a serious food security threats in the area and the country at large. And according to the latest weather forecast update issued by the department, most parts of the country will experience dry spell with below average rainfall in some parts. Peggy Thole, weather specialist at the the department discloses " much ...

  CHOLERA CONTINUES . ..as closure of Kachasu busineses affects livelihoods in affected communities. By Alfonso Kasongo Zambia has continued recording new cases of cholera with 167 cases being registered in the  last 24 hours. This  brings the cumulative total to 17,930 case since the disease was first recorded in October, last year. The epidemic has,however, triggered the extension of the reopening of schools and colleges, as well as closure of businesses such as the brewing of high potent traditional alcoholic beverage (spirit) called Kachasu. Kachasu continues to be used by the locals in most rural and peri urban communities to prevent and treat the disease, on assumption that the illicit spirit prevents the contraction of the diarrhoeal disease. Journalist Alfonso Kasongo demonstrates the drinking of Kachasu as he interacts with some brewers in George compound in Lima Ward of Matero constituency-Lusaka/ file But the affected brewers have condemned government's action ...

LOCAL. FOOD SYSTEMS KEY TO BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THIS CLIMATE CRISIS- CTDT By Alfonso Kasongo The Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) Zambia has called for urgent support and promotion of local food production systems wherever possible, to build resilience in the face of the current climate crisis and those to come. With the prolonged drought, rainfall variability and extreme weather conditions being experienced, the  Trust emphasises the need for food systems that will build and promote resilience, adaptation and diversity,as they are essential. It adds that urgent efforts are required to promote and support farmers to conserve and develop their drought-resistant crops and seeds including cowpea, bambara nuts and millet. Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) is a non profit making NGO registered in 2009 with the objective of contributing to the livelihoods of rural communities through interventions aimed at promoting biodiversity conservation and natural re...

FOSSIL FERTILISER DEPENDANT SMALL-HOLDER FARMER TURNS TO BOKASHI   Mr. Nixson Maula in his field By Alfonso Kasongo I was once fossil fertiliser or rather Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) reliant farmer but have found transformative solution through the bokashi training, the Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) Zambia has heard. Nixson Maula, a farmer of Makoli village in  Chinkankata district of Southern who underwent intensive capacity building in agroecological practices under the auspice of the CTDT discloses that the agroecology training in bokashi has empowered him to cultivate sustainable crops in his demonstration plots.   Mr. Maula confesses that he was once reliant on government fertilizer, but now has found a transformative solution through CTDT.  Bokashi fertilizer is a fermented organic soil amendment that functions as an inoculant and a fertility builder.  Mr. Maula further testifies ..."he is now becoming less dependent on government...

GMO MEALIE MEAL SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION, GOVERNMENT, MAZ  SAY . ..we are only respecting the law,therefore, countries without similar laws like ours are free to consume GMOs says government spokesperson. Mr. Mweetwa-Communication and Media minister By Alfonso Kasongo "GMO mealie meal is safe, as result of the law,we are just respecting the law and therefore, countries that do not have the law like ours are at liberty to resource that mealie meal and be able to supply and feed their communities," Zambia's Minister of Information and Media,Cornelius Mweetwa has said. In an attempt to quench the ever escalating controversy surrounding the importation of mealie meal made from genetically engineered (GM) maize from South Africa, Mr. Mweetwa, who is also government spokesperson says Zambia only respect her  biosafety law to consume the GM mealie meal. And Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) president Andrew Chintala also discloses that mealie meal made from genetically engin...

  PARAMOUNT CHIEF MPEZENI ENDORSES  USE OF TRADITIONAL MAIZE SEED ....if we can revert to using traditional seed, our seed,the better,says the traditional leader. Chief Mpezeni By Alfonso Kasongo Amidst increased use of hybrid maize seed varieties by the rural communities across the country, Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people of Eastern province of Zambia has emphasised the need to protect local maize seed if the country is to avert hunger. Despite high yields,hybrid seeds tend to lose their hybrid vigor and may not manifest the same positive characteristics as the original hybrid plants when saved and replanted. The traditional leader insists that traditional maize seed is better than the hybrid and remains crucial for food security. Chief Mpezeni's advice comes at a time when the country is undergoing amendments to seed related pieces of legislation and poposals for it to join the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), the situatio...

CONTINUED DEGRADATION OF WETLANDS IN ZAMBIA, A TIME BOMB-ZCCN By Alfonso Kasongo Collaborative actions are a must  to implement robust policies that prioritize wetland conservation and sustainable use, a membership - based organization existing as civil society national platform whose strategic thrust is on climate change justice and sustainable development in Zambia has  observed. "Our wetlands, the once thriving ecosystems, now find themselves endangered due to human activities which include agriculture, urban development, and pollution among others," the Zambia Climate Change Network (ZCCN) has said. ZCCN says it  is concerned about the states of most wetlands in Zambia warning that their continued degradation poses a severe threat to the collective future,hence should be considered a time bomb that needs serious immediate collaborative attention and action. Wetlands, often referred to as the Earth's kidneys, play a vital role in maintaining ecological b...

ZAAB ACCUSES NBA OF FAILING TO IMPLEMENT BASICS OF THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL,NATIONAL BIOSAFETY ACT 2007 ...hence increased information gap with regards to GMOs in the country. By Alfonso Kasongo A collaborative network of concerned Zambians, civil society groups, faith and farmer-based organisations, working together to strengthen the growing movement for agroecology and food sovereignty, has accused the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) of failing to effectively implement the basics of the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol (CBP) and the National Biosafety Act of 2007. The network has since attributed the increased information lapses on biotechnology in the country especially on the issuance of permits and importation of mealie meal suspected to have been made from GM maize to lack of information for Zambia, updated on the Biosafety Clearing House. Amidst continued  controversy and drama on the importation of mealie meal suspected to have been produced from genetically modified maize fro...