In 2002 and 2003, there was a serious food crisis in southern Africa. In response, overseas food aid was made available. However, some of the donated grain was genetically modified (GM). Most countries in the region had no policy on biotechnology or risk assessment systems for GM crops, leading to fierce debates about whether to take GM imports. Effective policymaking on this issue is an urgent challenge.

Research from the International Food Policy Research Institute, USA, and the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, Zimbabwe, looks at the biotechnology policy process in southern Africa, which emerged in response to the GM food aid crisis. The research considers people’s views from across the region, representing different sides of the debate, and examines the success and effectiveness of the region’s discussions about this issue.

The research shows:

• It is difficult to reach consensus on the role of biotechnology in agricultural and overall development. The aim of policy discussions should be to agree on processes for moving towards a consensus.
• All relevant parties should be involved, from all sides of the debate.
• There must be accurate scientific and technical information available for discussion.
• Trust between different groups is essential, including fair criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of policy processes.

Complexity and uncertainty are key elements biotechnology debates across the world. Policies from other sectors, including agriculture, trade, consumer preference and environmental policies, further complicate these debates. Countries need to consider the role of intellectual property rights, bio-safety issues and risk assessment systems (processes for judging the safety and desirability of different GM crops). Effective dialogues should involve experts with different perspectives from each of these areas.  

The research makes several policy recommendations:

• There should be dialogues between and within countries. For these to take place, policymakers must have information about different technologies, products and the impacts of different policy approaches used in each country.
• Many countries in the region do not have any biosafety guidelines. These are critical if countries are to regulate and make scientific assessments about biotechnology. Regional biosafety policies may also be important.
• There is a need to decide on what type of intellectual property policy is appropriate in relation to development objectives. This includes the degree of conformity with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights agreement.
• Trade policies are important. These include trade in GM crops in the region and potential impacts of different GM policies on agricultural exports to overseas markets (some of which may be hostile to GM).
• Policymakers in southern Africa need to coordinate policies on biotechnology across the region to be more effective in international negotiations, such as WTO discussions.

Source(s):
'Dialogues: the Shaping of Biotechnology in Africa', International Food Policy Research Institute and Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, Briefing, by Steven Were Omamo and Klaus von Grebmer, 2005
'Biotechnology, Agriculture and Food Security in Southern Africa', International Food Policy Research Institute and Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, edited by Steven Were Omamo and Klaus von Grebmer, 2005

Funded by: Rockefeller Foundation

id21 Research Highlight: 11 November 2005

Further Information:
Steven Were Omamo
International Food Policy Research Institute
2033 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006-1002
USA

Tel: + 1 (0) 202 862 5600
Fax: + 1 (0) 202 467 4439
Contact the contributor: W.Omamo@cgiar.org

International Food Policy Research Institute, USA

Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network, Zimbabwe

Other related links:
id21 insights#52 - Debating GM crops

'Crop wars: can obstacles to genetically modified crops be removed?'

'The GM decision-making process: who decides?'

'Separating fact from fiction –GM crops in developing countries'

See id21's links to useful biotechnology sites

GeneWatch UK

ICGEB Biosafety (GM foods)