A Zambian government agency responsible for regulating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on Monday assured that mealie meal imported from South Africa from genetically modified (GM) maize was safe for consumption.
The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) has conducted risk assessments on maize and soya varieties from South Africa, which have been found safe for human and animal consumption, NBA said in a statement.
“We have conducted risk assessments on soya beans and all maize varieties from South Africa and these have been found to be safe for humans, animals and the environment. Therefore, all products including mealie meal produced from the assessed maize varieties are safe for human and animal consumption,” the statement quoted Sody Munsaka, the NBA Scientific Advisory Committee Chairperson, as saying.
He further said that the agency was working with other government institutions to ensure that mealie meal that may contain GMOs to be imported and transited through the country was from the maize varieties that have been authorized.
Zambia is facing a shortage of mealie meal in some provinces blamed on smuggling to some neighboring countries where there was a huge demand, resulting in a sharp rise in prices of the commodity.
In 2002, Zambia rejected GM maize at a height of a maize crisis due to poor rainy seasons. Enditem
