Writes Leo Odera Omolo
GROUPS of African leaders and policy makers vehemently opposed to farming initiatives involving organisms have said President Barack Obama’s new food security plan for Africa is mainly meant to help US agribusinesses to bring biotechnology to African countries such as Tanzania.
At the recent G-8 summit of rich countries,President Obama unveiled a USD 3 billion,10-year programme to reduce hunger in Africa.
The US President cast the effort in personal terms,saying,some of his initiatives in Kenya”live in villages where hunger is sometimes a reality.”
According to agencies report appearing in local media,the US President had invited Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete,Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Ghanaian President John Atta Mills to take part in the food security talks at the G-8 meeting at the US presidential retreat outside Washington DC.
President Obama argued in announcing the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition that the advanced farming techniques such as developed by corporate such as Monsanto Cargill and Dupont can be an effective response to the “moral imperative” of ending hunger in Africa. As part of the alliance, agricultural corporation from several countries will collaborate with government officials in selected African nations along with civil society groups and local farmers to increase crop yields.
Mosanto the US-based Corporation, which specializes in biotechnology and research, is reported to be ready to committing USD million to the plan. Research and applications,says it will focus its investment partly on on”Kilimo Kwanza {Agriculture First} project in Tanzania.In addition to making financing more easily available to farmers in Southern Tanzania.
Mosanto says it will seek to introduce new maize hybrid seeds suitable royalty-free to see companies.”
The US –based adds in a press release that it intend to work with Munganisho Ujamiriamali Vijijini Group connecting village entrepreneurs a program that supports micro,small and medium enterprises-on the formation of the co-operatives that enables farmers to collectively negotiate and market their harvest.”
But local critics points out to potential dangers in a programme that relies on private corporate leadership. The the toric is all about small scale producers,but they haven’t ye been a part of G-8 conversation. The goal therefore of the agribusiness corporations is “not to fight hunger, their objective is to make money,”said one such critics.
He added, President Obama’s aim of reducing hunger in Africa by promoting corporate investment si”marginalize farmers in Africa.”
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