© juan lopez,
foe europe
|
“As the concerned parties were
not willing to certify that the said
consignment would not contain any
traces of StarLink corn or any other GM
traces hazardous to human health, the
committee, under [the] circumstances,
is unable to permit such imports.”
Indian Genetic Engineering Approval
Committee, March 2003 |
Most in-kind food aid delivered today
consists of US agricultural products
provided for distribution in developing
countries. A controversy exploded in the
year 2000, when it became clear that GMOs
were being introduced via food aid
shipments into regions and countries where
GM food was not allowed and/or without
prior information. Such GM food aid
shipments were criticized by civil society
groups, and in some cases met with
recipient government opposition.
india rejects us food
aid
The first documented complaint about the
shipment of GMOs in food aid was made in
June 2000 in India , with the denunciation
of food aid donated by USAID and the World
Food Program containing GMOs. In December
2002, India rejected a large shipment of
food aid from the United States because it
contained genetically modified
ingredients.
A. M. Gokhale, chairman of the Genetic
Engineering Approval Committee that
rejected the consignment, said that: “If
there is reason to believe that there may
be damage to human health, we have the
right to reject any import.” Among the
concerns raised by the competent
authorities was the fact that there was no
full guarantee that StarLink (GM corn not
authorized for human consumption in the US
, see page 34) was not in the food aid.
Several agencies like CARE-India and
Catholic Relief Services pressured the
Indian government to authorize the food aid
in the beginning of 2003, but in March the
Genetic Engineering Approval Committee
rejected it again, citing the fact that the
food aid importers declined to certify the
consignments as StarLink-free.
In fact, US food aid to India is
paradoxical, since the country had 65
million tons of surplus non- GM wheat and
rice in its Food Cooperation stocks in
2003.
ecuador orders gm food aid
destroyed
“We will not allow these types of
products to be consumed in the country,
especially taking into account that both
products are destined for children up to
six years of age, and pregnant
mothers.”
Director General of the Ecuadorian
Health Ministry, May 2001.
In 2000, Ecuador received a large food
aid donation that included 30,000 metric
tons of bulk soy paste. The World Food
Program (WFP) sold these products, and the
money obtained was used in food aid
programs for low-income sectors, especially
Indigenous populations. Civil society
groups monitored food donations in 2001,
and discovered that the soy was genetically
modified despite Bolivian technical
stipulations stating that national products
should be used. Furthermore, food programs
also forbid GM ingredients in food aid.
Following this discovery, the Ecuadorian
authorities ordered the destruction of the
product containing raw GM material. They
decided not to stop the food relief
programs, but asserted that the GM soy
could be replaced by quinoa, beans or
non-GMO soy available at the national
level.
starlink sneaks into bolivian
food donation
In May 2001, civil society groups in
Bolivia denounced the presence of GM
ingredients in food aid sent by the US
Agency for International Development
(USAID). This was in violation of the
moratorium on the introduction of GM food
in place in the country at that time. US
Ambassador Manuel Rocha said: “Those who
don't want our donation should not travel
to our country, because this is the only
food we can offer to our visitors.” One
year later, in May 2002, the groups
discovered “StarLink”, a genetically
modified variety of maize not authorized in
the US for human consumption, in US food
aid sent to Bolivia .
This happened despite a promise made in
2000 by the Secretary of the US Department
of Agriculture, Dan Glickman, that the
agency would ensure that this genetically
modified maize did not enter food aid. When
it was found in the US food supply in 2000,
products containing StarLink were taken off
the shelves via a huge product recall (see
page 34). Nevertheless, despite written
requests that USAID take similar measures
in Bolivia , US authorities made no attempt
to remove StarLink from the food aid.
gm soy removed from colombian
food aid
Genetically modified ingredients were
found in US food aid to Colombia in May
2001. The levels of GM content found in the
samples tested were as high as 90 percent,
the highest levels documented to date.
After the discovery, the GM soy was
withdrawn from national food aid programs
aimed at young children.
contaminated corn seed in
nicaraguan food aid
In June 2002, civil society groups in
Nicaragua , a center of origin of corn,
denounced the presence of GM ingredients in
food aid samples. In a news release dated
May 24, 2002 , the World Food Program had
declared that it “does not distribute food
that is not acceptable for human
consumption by the citizens of the
producing countries (donor countries) and
by the countries that receive the food
assistance”.
Nonetheless, one of the seed samples
donated by Germany via the World Food
Program tested positive for genetically
modified organisms, and had a GMO content
of 3.8 percent. This level is sufficient to
ban products from German grocery shelves.
The organizations that made the findings
raised the concern that GM corn seeds in
food aid may allow genetically engineered
corn to enter the birthplaces of corn, thus
creating a form of biological pollution
that cannot be recalled
contradictory food aid in
guatemala
Civil society groups in Guatemala
denounced the existence of GM ingredients
in food aid, specifically corn seed from
the World Food Program, in June 2002. The
GMOs were not authorized in the EU, and the
fact that Guatemala is also a center of
origin of corn raised concerns about
contamination. The presence of the GM corn
was in contradiction to April 2002
statements by the World Food Program in
Guatemala to the effect that: “All food
given by the WFP is certified by the health
authorities of the Minister of Agriculture,
Ranching and Food and the Minister of
Public Health and Social Assistance in
order not to allow the introduction of GM
products.”
unlabeled food aid gets the boot
from uganda
In 2001, Uganda forbade the entrance of
a consignment of corn soy blend, part of a
US “food for peace” agreement, because it
was contrary to the nation's labeling
requirements.
The Ugandan National Bureau of Standards
noted that the food aid did not indicate
the list of ingredients, the name and
address of the manufacturers, nor
instructions for use.
us withdraws bosnian food
aid
In January 2001, Bosnian authorities
asked US officials for detailed information
on the possible effects (on both humans and
animals) of the corn donated by the US .
There was no reply, but the US subsequently
withdrew a four million dollar donation of
40,000 tonnes of genetically engineered
corn for animal feed.
source:
FoEI report Playing with Hunger:
www.foei.org/publications/pdfs/playing_with
hunger2.pdf
more information:
the
press release
and the article: Environmentalists claim
modified corn included in U.N. aid by
global news agency
Associated Press
centro humboldt
genetic resources action international
(grain):
www.grain.org
