Official policy on GMOs soon

Government is in the process of formulating policy regulating genetically modified crops and foods in the country, National Biosafety Frameworks Project coordinator, Mr. Motebang Molise, has announced.

Speaking at a two day biosafety and biotechnology workshop in Mohale's Hoek on January 20, Mr.. Molise said laws regulating genetically modified organisms was necessary as these were already available and being used in the country.

The National Biosafety Frameworks Project was established under the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture in April last year to ensure the development of procedures and frameworks to assess the risks associated with biotechnology, he said.

The latest developments in science and technology can benefit farmers in that new ways of fighting pests and diseases could be found as well as growing crops in an environmentally friendly way, Mr. Molise said.

Ministry of Agriculture staff, laboratory technicians and health assistants from the southern districts of Mafeteng, Mohale's Hoek, Quthing and Qacha's Nek recommended at the workshop that the envisaged national biosafety and biotechnology policy should focus on  an environmental impact and risk assessment, on both animal and human health, of the GMOs.

They said the policy should include the regulation of genetically improved foods and crops, tested to ensure that they do not pose any threat to neither human, animal or the environment. All genetically modified foods should have labels that specify their nutritional value, date and place of manufacture and, date of expiry.
21 January 2004