MY THOUGHTS ON THE NEW,VALIDATED DRAFT GENE POLICY FOR ZAMBIA

MY THOUGHTS ON THE NEW,VALIDATED DRAFT GENE POLICY FOR ZAMBIA


Thanks for reading my posts on GMO/ National Biotechnology and Biosafety draft policy (Zambia).My inbox is full of questions, what's the agenda behind your write-ups?

To answer you all,I don't have any hidden agenda about GMOs and other related (gene) techniques in our agriculture.
My simple and straightforward agenda is for the nation (Zambians) to seriously begin to talk about the gene technology, it's badness and goodness. Therefore, we can not serious engage with a policy which is at a verge of being amended. What is more concerning is the new draft and validated document (policy),it is not in public domain ,where the public can easily access it.
Lastly but crucial is the framing of the  new draft which was mainly pro-industry.

 The worst part is that the liability and redress clause is framed in such a way that the ‘users’, thus our farmers, will be the ones held liable for the negative outcomes (contamination, crop failures, toxicafication, etc), rather than the owners or holders of the patents.  And our government using taxpayers' money will be responsible for paying for the long term impacts.
For example the Kabwe mine pollution, without proper liability and redress provisions in place, the owner of the technology will walk away with millions, whilst the people and government are left to clean up the mess.
These are some of issues other stakeholders through the Zambia Alliance for Agroecology and Biodiversity   wanted to be properly addressed.

https://www.facebook.com/100074336808700/posts/pfbid02wKpi1XPEcNmJuZKovpbkxfpVr6TWQve9X1JJsnnNDm51LsYPD9o29gqX5YZQJJjxl/?app=fbl

The author is an award-winning journalist based in Lusaka, Zambia, with over six years of experience across various media platforms, including print, online, and television. With a keen interest in environmental issues, climate change, science, particularly biotechnology, and agroecology, his reporting often explores the intersection of traditional beliefs and modern scientific advancements in Central and Southern Africa. His passion for journalism is matched by his skills in news gathering, writing, editing,dissemination, and analysis,exceptional nose for news as well as public relations. The author's work has brought critical attention to public health challenges, such as the cholera outbreak in Zambia, where he highlighted the tension between traditional remedies and government efforts to promote medical treatments. He has also delved into the impact of climate change on local economies and ecosystems, including the decline of edible insects as studied by the University of Zambia. His articles provide a comprehensive view of the broader implications of climate change on food production and the risks of hunger in Africa, while also addressing the challenges of managing climate financing with transparency and accountability. In addition to his environmental and public health reporting, the author has a strong interest in gender issues, governance, and current affairs. He has covered Zambia's role in global vaccine research, including participation in clinical trials for tuberculosis and shigellosis vaccines, and has reported on the National Biosafety Authority's regulation of GMOs. His work is enriched by insights from a diverse range of stakeholders, from government officials and local traders to traditional healers and international organizations like AUDA-NEPAD, ensuring a well-rounded perspective on the stories that shape the African continent.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ZAMBIA'S CLIMATE FINANCING UTILISATION LACKS TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY

Image
ZAMBIA'S CLIMATE FINANCING UTILISATION LACKS TRANSPARENCY,  ACCOUNTABILITY ...hence prone to corruption risks,posing threats against building climate change resilience, TIZ report reviews. By Alfonso Kasongo Zambia's quest to remain climate change resilient might veer off course, if gaps such as weak climate regulatory frameworks, corruption risks and lack of transparency in the management of climate financing remain unaddressed. Ànd tackling of how the country supports mitigation and adaptation to climate change remain critical to building resilience to the worst effects. Climate resilient is generally defined as successfully copying with and managing the impacts of climate change while preventing those impacts from growing worse. This year's unprecedented global temperatures and stark devastating of climate change stress the urgency requirement for Zambia and many other countries to build climate resilience, hence the need for strong regulatory framework and transparency
Read more

US$200,000 CASSAVA TECH. PROJECT ELATES DSaT

Image
US$200,000 CASSAVA TECHNICAL PROJECT ELATES DSaT By Alfonso Kasongo    Government with support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has launched USD 200,000 Cassava technical coorperation project aimed at mitigating the spread of Cassava Brown Streak (CBSD) and Mosaic disease in Luapula and Northern provinces of Zambia. The investment has elated Dziwa Science and Technology Trust (DSaT), a Zambian NGO promoting science communication and science based solutions to address country's socio-economic challenges.  Early last year, DSaT in collaboration with Zambia Agriculture Research Institute ZARI, Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Media and Information, supported by the Centre of Agriculture and Bioscience International  CABI facilitated a media training on Cassava Brown Streak Disease reporting where over 30 journalists drawn from across the country received the training.  The aim of the training was to equip journalists with knowledge on the CBSD so that they can ef
Read more

ZAMBIA LISTED AMONG 34 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE THAT EXPERIENCED DIGITAL AUTHORITATIVE RULE

Image
  By Alfonso Kasongo  The shutdown of internet to block access to social media during the 2021 general election has earned Zambia a slot among 34 countries worldwide that experienced digital authoritative rule last year. According to a research conducted by Keep It On ,182 internet shutdowns from 34 countries were last year recorded and are documented. Sadly 19 of the 34 countries are African countries, an indication of the return of the digital authoritatism. The report  discloses that the Zambian authorities shutdown the Internet during the the tight 2021 general election to block access to social media platforms which  include among others WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.   The report however ,suggests that the country experienced digital authoritative rule which undermined the democracy of the country.    It further notes with pleasure that the shut down was fought swiftly by Chapter One Foundation through the court of law and that the High  Court ruling remains a precede
Read more