Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
National Biosafety Authority (NBA) Chief Executive Officer Lackson Tonga is urging farmers to seek scientific certification before importing or exporting agriculture produce, livestock feed and grain.
Mr. Tonga is encouraging Zambian universities to adopt curriculum preaching on scientific considerations for Zambia to increase manpower knowledgeable on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’S).
He has however disclosed that Zambia is yet to ratify the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur supplementary protocol on liability and redress effected on Monday, march 5, 2018 in Japan, though the country is a part to the Cartagena protocol and the coming into effect of the Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur supplementary protocol.
The Cartagena protocol, which Zambia acceded to it in 2004, addresses the handling and transiting of GMOs so that they do not have adverse effects on human, animal health and the environment.
Mr. Tonga says the NBA regulates GMOs as a clearing house to ensure safety of usage among people, animals and the environment, and stressed the importance of mediating relationships between producers and consumers.
Tonga says the NBA regulates the research, development, application, importation, export, transit, contained use and placing on the Local Zambian market of GMO intended for use as a pharmaceutical, food, feed or processing.