Kampala, Uganda | ANDREW S. KAGGWA | Days after parliament quietly passed the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill, widely known as the ‘GMO Bill’, in early October, Meg Hilbert Jaquay, the Managing Director of Jakana Foods Limited, remains sad. Her company exports 30 metric tonnes of organic dried fruits to U.S., Europe, Asia, and across Africa every year.
But, she says, all this is now under threat as Uganda will become less competitive for the fastest growing food market segment in U.S. and Europe.
“GMO products are not allowed under either the Organic Standard or Fair Trade standards,” Meg told The Independent, “The rest of the world is moving away from this old technology, and instead of Uganda looking to the future it is still in catch-up mode.”
Meg says because of government’s failure to recognise the organic sector, Uganda which was second in the world has now dropped to fourth, and it may drop further unless the government agrees to pass the Organic Policy to protect the sector.
Andrew Ndawula Kalema who is a certified organic farmer in Nakaseke District says the passing of the Bill is a blow to organic farmers.
“Uganda is one of the countries which have been having a comparative advantage of exporting organic products but with passing of the Bill we have now lost this advantage,” Kalema says.
He says the passing of the Bill was possible not because of its merits and how much it’s going to benefit the country but because of the huge financial muscle of the multinational GMO seed companies behind it and who will be the main beneficiaries not Ugandans.
Patrick Luganda, the Executive Director of Media link, an organisation which links farmers with the media and trains climate journalists said the way the Bill was passed is suspect.
“That was like smuggling the Bill. Why pass it at such a time when members are charged over the age limit debate. And what a coincidence that similar laws are being pushed in Malawi, Kenya, and Ghana,” Luganda said.
Luganda further explained that in Malawi the government has even made it illegal to plant indigenous varieties and farmers have to plant only the GMO seeds which are expensive.
Luganda was describing how the Bill was passed on Oct. 04, at a time when the Speaker of Parliament when all attention was on the so-called `age-limit Bill’. One side of parliament, which is supposed to be occupied by the opposition, was empty as many of them had been expelled and the others were boycotting sittings in solidarity. Thomas Tayebwa (Ruhindi North) wanted the Bill’s passing delayed until the opposition members returned but he was overruled.
President Yoweri Museveni’s earlier utterances backing the Bill appear to have swayed the decision.
Scientists excited, CSOs to sue
Museveni said the GMO law is to “help the country resolve some of the problems the agriculture sector is facing”. He is now expected to sign it into law as soon as it gets to his table.
The passing of the Bill sent the pro-GMO scientists into celebration.
The list of the 135 “stakeholders” whom the Parliamentary Committee on Science and Technology, chaired by Nakifuma County MP, Eng. Robert Kafeero Ssekitoleko, interacted with to craft the law reads like the Who-is-Who list of Uganda’s scientists; from government departments like NARO, UNSCT, Uganda Virus Research Institute, National Drug Authority, Uganda National Bureau of Standards, universities and others.
But, although three farmers are on the list, the Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFF), a body which claims to be an umbrella body of all farmers’ associations in the country, is conspicuously missing. Its Executive Secretary, Augustine Mwendya, had earlier told The Independent that he backs the Bill.
Dr. Godfrey Asea, the director of National Crops Resources Research Institute (NACRRI), one of the research institutes under NARO in Namulonge in Wakiso district congratulated Parliament for passing the Bill.
“We now have a framework to conduct environment release and research outside the institutes,” he said.
Erastus Nsubuga, the chairperson of the Uganda Biotechnology and Biosafety Consortium, called the law “a great achievement” that will help scientists work within the country.
The post Tears and cheers over new GMO law appeared first on The Independent Uganda:.
Source: Independent
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