Be wary of GMO seeds, farmers told

Lawrence Chitumba Mash Central Bureau
HORTICULTURAL co-operatives and rural communities have been told to be wary of seeds that are donated by well-wishers as they risk receiving genetically modified varieties.

Addressing Muchapondwa community garden members at Muchapondwa Village in Bindura recently, Minister of Women and Youth Affairs Sithembiso Nyoni, said small-scale farmers should make use of local institutions to do research to improve the quality of the seeds.

This follows unsubstantiated information that there are unscrupulous well-wishers going around donating genetically modified seeds to marginalised communities.

Government’s policy has been very clear not to accept genetically modified foods (GMOs) and has on several occasions refused to accept calls by different organisations for the country to grow GMOs to mitigate food shortages.

“Some of the seeds that are being brought into the country by the so-called well-wishers are genetically modified so I am telling you to be wary of such types of seeds,” she said.

“Those seeds can affect your health and that is why Government has on several occasions refused to accept them.

“Make use of local institutions like our universities if you want to improve the quality of seeds so that they do the research for you. We will not accept (GMOs).”