Tanzania’s biosafety regulations force researchers to burn harvest from GMO corn field trial despite food shortages

In keeping with strict biosafety regulations, all the GM maize material is burned once the harvest data is collected. The resulting debris is then buried on the CFT [confined field trial] site.

[Below:] Researchers and government officials watch as GM maize material is burned following the harvesting of WEMA [Water Efficient Maize for Africa project] maize trial. If the biosafety regulations are not followed to the letter, the CFT could face closure.

[Below:] Workers empty bags of harvested GM maize seed into the fire pit at the CFT, in keeping with Tanzania’s biosafety regulations. Because this is a field trial the maize cannot legally be distributed to local farmers or eaten by hungry Tanzanians now experiencing a food shortage. Meanwhile, WEMA maize with the same GM drought-tolerance trait is already being cultivated by farmers in South Africa and consumed throughout the country.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Tanzania’s first GMO trial ends in ashes