Mwajuma Mpanju of Mapinga village in Tanzania could do nothing but watch her entire cassava crop be wiped out by cassava mosaic disease three years ago. Between this disease and the droughts and severe weather in Tanzania over the past years, yields of the popular tuber have decreased significantly. But could this disease be avoided by cultivating a cassava plant genetically modified to resist the disease? Evidence points to yes. (Simbaye, 2013)
Hungry for answers
The GMO debate rages on
Tanzanian farmers like Mpanju have been stuck in a vicious tug of war between GMO advocates and staunch GM foes. Currently, the Tanzanian government has strict laws in place surrounding GMOs. Field trials are prohibited and any farmer who uses GMOs will be held fully and financially accountable for any problems or tribulations of the public with their product. (Schmickle, 2013) This is way too big a risk and liability for these small farmers to take on. The Tanzanian government is getting a lot of pressure from both sides of the argument. They have stated that they will lax the current regulations, but have not set forth any kind of time table. (Simbaye, 2013)
One of the biggest influences against GMOs is coming from Europe. Most of Europe is strictly anti-GM and have voices in Africa and around the world sharing that opinion.
by Laney Sviatoslavsky