Sustainable Agriculture and Food: Four volume set (Earthscan Reference Collections)

Agricultural Biotechnology in Southern Africa: A Regional Synthesis 487

Table 19.2

(continued)

Biosafety issue

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Status of development and implementation

Has draft legislation and a national biosafety committee. Limited capacity for risk assessment. Currently in the process of coming up with a national biotechnology strategy.

Has a legally binding biosafety system, which includes a biosafety board and its secretariat, as well as biosafety regulations and guidelines. Has some laboratories, which have the capacity to detect genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Use of a biosafety system in the regulation of work on or use of GE

An interim committee recommended rejection of GM food aid (July 2002). A case of unapproved trial of GM maize was reported in 1999 (personal communication with Monsanto, 2001).

Two field trials were approved in 2001, for

Bt

cotton and

Bt

maize. No commercialization has been approved as yet. Assessed applications for importation of GM maize; importation granted with conditions.

Urgent requirements

Enactment of legislation, capacity building, public awareness

Review of current legislation, capacity building, public participation in decision making processes

Source

: Based on Mnyulwa and Mungwagwa, 2002, but updated through continuous interaction with partners