Makamba: investigate GMO levels in imports

Dar es Salaam. The Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union Affairs and Environment), Mr January Makamba,on Wednesday July 18 told environmental inspectors to make sure that imported foodstuffs meet acceptable standards when it comes to levels of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

This comes at a time when Tanzania is still conducting research on GMOs.

Some confined field trials for the technology are being carried out at the Makutupora Viticulture Research and Training Centre in Dodoma.

And closing a two-day training for environmental and research inspectors in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Mr Makamba, said Tanzania has put a cap on the level of GMO content that is considered safe for use, saying the inspectors must see to it that the importers and other dealers were aware about this.

The training focused on the safety use of bio-technology on foodstuff and plants.

“I’m well informed that you have all the equipment to test the content of GMOs in most of the foodstuff and plants. We must establish the reliable laboratories to guarantee the best outcome in measuring the GMOs content in our plants and food stuff,” he said.

He said once the government establishes reliable labs for conducting the tests, then the move will encourage more importers and other dealers in the products to come and sample their plants and foodstuff before taking the consignment to the consumers.

He urged experts to judiciously observe laws and regulations in the course of discharging their duties to protect the environment.

Officiating at the closing ceremony of the two-day training for environmental and research inspectors on the safety use of bio-technology on foodstuff and plants, Mr Makamba said the officials should make use of the knowledge acquired in the training to enhance the environmental protection drive.

The Minister said the environmental and research inspectors were playing crucial roles for the protection of the environment and human health in Tanzania.

He said public understanding about bio-technology was so limited, especially on the side effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which changes the plants and food chemistry, saying they have to strive to educate the public and those importing GMOs on the side effects of the substance.

The minister said inspecting the safety of plants and food needs the inspectors to have institutional leadership in the whole value chain process and provide guidance on the best way in safeguard foodstuffs and plants.

For his part, the acting director general for the Commission for Science and Technology (Costech), Dr Amos Nungu, hailed the organizers of the training, saying he believed the knowledge acquired will help the participants to discharge their duties more effectively.