As Kenya ends its decade-long ban on growing and importing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the move by the president, William Ruto, has not been received well by a section of Africans.
Alexandra Tchomte has expressed disappointment adding that the crops have been known to cause diseases like cancer, adding that Africa does not have well-equipped medication for the diseases.
“I am disappointed. I am tired. I am weak. I am discouraged. I feel like dropping everything and sending Africa wherever I can. We all know those things give diseases and cancers of all sorts, yet we import them when Africa has more than 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land and when we have the idea on how to decouple our local productions,” the disappointed Tchomte said.
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The Kenyan government, in a statement, says the decision is in response to the recognition that Kenyan farmers need help warding off pests and diseases as they suffer from drought conditions.
Tchomte laments that the move will affect the economy of the country and Africa at large, which are end consumers of the said products. She says this will increase medical costs caused by the ‘poisonous’ products consumed by the residents.
“Why were we banning those things in the first place? I guess because we knew they were not fit for consumption. Till when are we going to be the way we are? Till when are we going to be the dustbin? Do we at all understand the health and economic implications of GMO and their impact on our local biodiversity?” she questioned.
She explained that it does not rain in Israel more than in Kenya, yet Israel is a giant in agriculture and runs away from GMOs. She went on to sayKenya’ss soil is packed with water, irrigation systems can be used, preservation of local seeds, use of techniques like hydroponic, vertical growing, alternating cultures, knowing how to preserve the food that we produce to avoid waste.
“We don’t need GMOs”, she advised.
She suggested that the country can have another type of bilateral relations with the United States and not on genetically modified crops.
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“I would have preferred another bilateral relationship with the US or another commodity, not GMO. We don’t need GMO crops in any part of Africa. The new president of Kenya, I am speechless,” she added.
Kenya’s Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Nominee Mithika Linturi said Kenya had tough choices on the GMO issue”.
“GMO has come about due to lack of food, we will have to choose whether to adopt GMO or leave our people to die. Government cannot be careless in introducing harmful products to a nation,” Linturi said.
Greenpeace Africa, an environmental conservation organization, said GMO foods lead to corporate control of seeds and tie farmers into a cycle of debt.
“Lifting the ban on GMOs will lead to loss of tcountry’sy’s agricultural biodiversity, it will expose farmers to exorbitant GM seed prices and tie them down in the cycle of debt,” the organization said via its social media platforms.
