{"id":451806,"date":"2011-07-01T14:11:07","date_gmt":"2011-07-01T14:11:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/07\/01\/kenyans-protest-against-gm-maize\/"},"modified":"2011-07-01T14:11:07","modified_gmt":"2011-07-01T14:11:07","slug":"kenyans-protest-against-gm-maize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/01\/kenyans-protest-against-gm-maize\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenyans protest against GM maize"},"content":{"rendered":"

1 July 2011<\/span> Last updated at<\/span> 10:11 ET<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Hundreds of people have marched in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, against government plans to import genetically modified (GM) maize.<\/p>\n

They were protesting at reports that Kenya would lift its restrictions on GM crops following a recent drought, leading to maize shortages.<\/p>\n

The demonstrators said they believed a shipment had already arrived and feared it could contaminate the soil.<\/p>\n

Kenyan millers want to import cheap GM maize to cope with the shortages.<\/p>\n

The BBC’s Odhiambo Joseph in Nairobi says the protesters included farmers and environmentalists.<\/p>\n

“The importation of GM maize is a ploy by leading millers to kill us – the small-scale farmer,” protester Gacheke Gachihi said.<\/p>\n

The march was organised by the African Biodiversity Network and the Unga Revolution.<\/p>\n

‘Toxic product’<\/span><\/p>\n

They said a consignment of GM maize from South Africa was in the port city of Mombasa, waiting to be off-loaded.<\/p>\n

Continue reading the main story<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cStart Quote<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

GM maize is cheaper by about 30% compared with non-GM maize\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

End Quote<\/span> Diamond Lalji<\/span> Chairman of Kenya’s Cereal Millers Association<\/span><\/div>\n

They wanted it destroyed or sent back, the protesters said.<\/p>\n

The chairman of the Kenyan parliament’s agriculture committee, John Mututho, confirmed to the BBC that the GM maize was at the port.<\/p>\n

He said he would lead a delegation of parliamentarians to Mombasa next week to inspect the consignment.<\/p>\n

“We are totally opposed to this toxic product,” Mr Mututho said.<\/p>\n

Our reporter says Kenya’s politicians are divided over GM imports.<\/p>\n

Some leading members of the government disagree with Mr Mututho, and support introducing GM maize in Kenya.<\/p>\n

‘First for country’<\/span><\/p>\n

Kenya is facing an acute maize shortage, caused by a prolonged drought.<\/p>\n

Roy Mujiira from the state-run National Biosafety Authority (NBA) said Kenya would be lifting restrictions on GM crop imports to deal with the shortage.<\/p>\n

“We are targeting to publish the regulation by next week, and it is a first for the country,” he told Reuters news agency.<\/p>\n

Millers have been lobbying the government to allow them to import GM maize, saying it would help end the shortage and lower prices.<\/p>\n

“GM maize is cheaper by about 30% compared with non-GM maize,” Diamond Lalji, the chairman of Kenya’s Cereal Millers Association, told Reuters.<\/p>\n

The government recently dropped tariffs on maize imports in order to curb a sharp rise in prices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

View post:
\nKenyans protest against GM maize<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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