The country is attentive to new technologies such as Genomic Editing (Ged), the implementation of which has already taken significant steps with the drafting of the Communication and Advocacy Strategy and the Action Plan, and is currently at the stage of drafting legislation on these matters, indicates a note in the newspaper Noticias.
The information was provided this Thursday (6) by the coordinator of the Inter-Institutional Group on Biosafety (GIIBS), Roda Nuvunga Luís, during the seminar on capacity building in matters of biotechnology and biosafety, in which she highlighted the current stage of the genetically modified maize crop trials.
‘The Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, the Embassy of the United States of America and the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for African Development (AUDA- NEPAD) have been carrying out training activities on modern biotechnology, in order to exploit the potential that exists in the country and contribute to meeting immediate needs, especially in agriculture,’ said Roda Nuvunga Luís.
On the occasion, she cited as an example the establishment, between 2017-18, of confined trials involving genetically modified drought-tolerant and insect-resistant maize, with multi-location tests underway.
‘The importance of the training seminar on biotechnology and biosafety lies in the fact that the participants will be able to address, among other things, the regional regulatory systems relating to the biosafety of genetically modified organisms and genome editing, including thinking about advances in agricultural biotechnology,’ she added.
The representative of the US Embassy in Mozambique, Richard Kauffman, said that a robust business environment that works for everyone is fundamental to prosperity. With more than 70 per cent of the adult population working the land, agriculture is a crucial sector of socio-economic development for the country.
Kauffman also spoke of his country’s commitment to supporting programmes linked to food security in Mozambique, namely school lunches in Maputo and Nampula, agri-business in the Nacala Corridor and the development of tax reform, which benefits agriculture throughout the country.
‘These programmes and partnerships are aimed at responding to the challenges that farmers face throughout the country, from environmental issues such as drought, pests and diseases, as well as soil degradation, with a negative impact on productivity, food security and the family economy,’ he said, adding that ‘in a market where farmers face many challenges, the answer can come from innovative technologies and biotechnology that can make a big difference.’
The seminar, which ended on Friday (7), addressed issues relating to priorities for genomic editing, biosafety, limitations on the commercialisation of genetically modified crops, among others.
