LUANDA, Angola (Reuters) – South Africa has offered to mill 600,000
tonnes of genetically modified grain sitting at its ports while
hunger-stricken countries in the region decide whether or not to accept
the GM grain.
Regional leaders said in a communique at the end of a two-day annual
summit of the Southern African Development Community that they had
allowed individual countries to make the choice of accepting or
rejecting GM food aid.
“Summit welcomed with gratitude an offer of 100,000 tonnes of maize by
South Africa to be distributed through the World Food Program and the
milling at its own cost of 600,000 tonnes of GMO maize currently stored
at South African ports,” the communique said.
Some countries worry unmilled maise would contaminate domestic crops.
Only Zambia has outrightly rejected GM relief. Lesotho and Swaziland
have not made their stand known, but the uncertainty and reluctance has
led to lengthy delays in shipping.
