MadagascarWFP2009GMO

Country:Madagascar Topic:Genetically Modified Organisms Matthew Tran

I. Country Policy and Involvement:

Genetically modified organisms (developed by physicists Herman Boyer and Stanley Cohen in 1973) are organisms whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found there.Madagascar is against the use of GMOs in their country. Madagascar, along with many other countries, do not know the harmful side effects because it is such a new study and because it is a new study not many people have ingested them. Without enough people that have ingested the product, the scientists do not have sufficient data to know whether or not the product is safe to consume. Madagascar has ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The objective of this protocol is "is to contribute to ensuring an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health, and specifically focusing on transboundary movements." Madagascar has banned the growth and importing of GM crops due to health and environment concerns. Like many of the countries in Africa, Madagascar's backbone of agricultural research is still nontransgenic agricultural research rather than biotechnology research. Madagascar "has implemented a system of rice cultivation which through improved agronomic practices, and without the use of GM varieties or chemical inputs, has shown improved yields."

II. United Nations Involvement:

Ever since the creation of the GMO, many other countries have started to research into the biotechnology. The emphasis of most the biotechnology was in the area crops. The United Nations has passed some resolutions and treaties on the topic of genetically modified organisms. Many, such as the WFP (World Food Programme)and the WHO (World Health Organization) other committees and countries, believe that GMOs will solve the problems of malnutrition and can save many of the places in the world where starvation is rampant. World Health Organization (WHO) passed at a document saying that countries are allowed to discuss the uses of GM crops only if they are in desperate need to feed their people. WHO is continuously negotiating with countries for the use of GMOs. Also the FAO which is the Food and Agricultural Organization released the National Guidelines for the Release of Genetically Modified Organisms into the Environment to help create a universal guideline of safety standards. Furthermore, the WFP (World Food Programme) believes that the use of GMOs can lead to the end of the starvation crisis in many countries. The WFP distributes more than 3 million metric tons to an average of 100 million people in 77 countries. The WFP donates most of its food to Africa because that is where the majority of the starvation is occuring. Also the WFP has taught farmers around the world how to cultivate GM crops that allow each individual proper nutrients.

III. Solutions:

Madagascar is very cautious about GMOs. Because Madagascar is very cautious about GMOs, Madagascar have banned GM crops from their country. Therefore, Madagascar has a proposition. Madagascar would a like to build a laboratory for the purpose of creating and perfecting genetically modified products and testing genetically modified products on animals and voluntary persons. The laboratory will have many funded scientists thinking of ways to create new GM products and will have funded scientists perfecting the current ones the world has right now. The laboratory will also test those genetically modified things on animals that have been donated by the countries or the United Nations that are related to humans and we may have voluntary persons that volunteer to be tested on. These volunteers will be well payed of course.