Zimbabwe Farmers Call for GMO Production to Ensure Food Security

Zimbabwe industry and farmers have urged government to adopt genetically modified organisms (GMOs) production to ensure food security in the wake of ravaging drought in the country. The Confederations of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) and Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) said Zimbabwe should do away with a GMO ban to attain food security.

"We will continue pushing for the embracing of GMO's production using GMO technology for exports to be a starting point.We are to organize a seminar on agro-manufacturing that will focus on increasing grain reserves coverage in a bid to improve agricultural production locally," said CZI in the statement.

The ZFU information officer, Tinashe Kairiza weighed in saying Zimbabwe stands to benefit more by adopting GMO production. "At the moment, we as a union are lobbying for any research that justifies the adoption of GMOs. Other countries have boosted their yields by adopting GMOs. For example, Burkina Faso is now producing genetically modified cotton and that has boosted yields," Kaizira added.

Humanitarian organizations have said at least a quarter of the country's population is in urgent need of food aid between now and the next harvest in April or they will starve. Zimbabweans have virtually survived on food handouts from international relief agencies after the government disrupted the key agriculture sector through his land reforms six years ago.

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