111

The genetically modified alimentary products, their possible dangers and the role of the civil society in facing them. “Workshop” 21st of July 2005

The workshop was held at Caritas on the 21st of July 2005. More than 52 people attended this workshop to discuss the problems of GM food and crops and the role of the national associations and the research centers in facing them. The attendances varied between 9 scientists and professors in agrarian genetic engineering and biochemistry and professors in agriculture, 7 specialized researchers and representatives of national associations, 16 representatives of civil society organizations, 9 journalists from local and national newspapers, in addition to 11 farmers from different governorates. The workshop was divided into two sessions: The first was to consult the specialized professors about the scientific, health, political and economic dimensions of the advantages and disadvantages of GMOs. The second was to discuss how could the civil society contribute in treating this issue, the duties of the scientific research centers in providing activists with information, and finally come out with recommendations about networking and the means of joint work to treat this problem.
Dr. Hasan Abu Bakr -a professor in the faculty of agriculture- was chairman of the first session. Mr. Karam Saber the executive director of the LCHR started the session by welcoming the attendances and clarified the LCHR’s interest in this issue regarding their possible negative effects on human health and on the environment, and also their effects on the rights of the farmers in Egypt and the third world. He clarified that about 50% of the food market is genetically modified and the consumers are not aware of that.
Then spoke Ms. Zeinab Abu El Magd -a researcher at the LCHR and a PhD student in George Town University - clarified the dimensions of the issue, stating that there are scientific and health dimensions related to the possible negative effects of these products on the people’s health, political dimensions related to the monopoly of some multinational companies to GM seeds that spread them in the markets of the third world and helped by other bodies like the USAID, legal and trading dimensions related to Egypt’s involvement in the international trade agreement and not being able to close its’ markets against the products of these companies, which will lead to loosing Egypt’s share in the European importing markets that have strict regulations against these products, and finally, environmental dimensions related to the harmful effects of GM seeds to the environmental balance.
Then spoke Dr. Hasan Abu Bakr about GM crops and the issue of food security in the third world, stating that the world is still full of natural resources that haven’t been used yet, for instance, there are 2500 kinds of seaweed rich with nutritious elements that can make us in no need for genetic modifying. He confirmed that the problem of food security can be solved by changing the modes of consuming food and redistributing the produced food all over the world. In addition to that, he showed the difference between genetic hybridization and genetic modification, as genetic hybridization is a technique used by farmers for hundreds of years, while genetic modification is a new technique with unknown risks. Some of the farmers asked about why do we fear genetic modification as long as there aren’t any confirmed or proved risks resulting from it? Dr. Abu Bakr replied saying that technology rosks could take ages to appear.
Then spoke Dr. Taymour Nasr El Din – secretary general at the agrarian genetic engineering research center in Cairo University- clarifying some fact about the importance of the agrarian genetic engineering researches in the world and in Egypt, and the size of the existence of GM food in the Egyptian market. He clarified that the world today is in need for agrarian genetic engineering, because the world population is increasing, while the food resources is very limited. He confirmed that the Egyptian market is free of GMOs because of the existence of a bio-safety committee in the ministry of agriculture that supervises everything that comes from abroad and stipulates that these products must be used in the manufacturing country, in addition to some experimental crops in the agrarian genetic engineering research center that haven’t spread in the Egyptian market. He added that Egypt has three options in this matter, either close its’ doors infront of modern technology, open its’ doors widely without any supervision to all of what is coming from abroad or establish an advanced scientific database with the existence of a strong supervision body.
Then spoke Dr Nawal Abadeer –professor of biochemistry in Helwan University- criticizing what Dr. Nasr El Din has said, as she has presented an accurate definition of the agrarian genetic modification, as she has presented some facts published by TIMES magazine about the European consumers who completely refused GM food and made protests and strikes against the American companies that produce it, and mentioned some of these products like corn, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, lupine and soybeans and oil, and confirmed that they extremely harm human health and the environment.
Then Dr. Zakareya Haddad –professor in the faculty of agriculture in Zaqazeeq University and head of the Egyptian association for bio-agriculture- gave a presentation about bio-agriculture in Egypt and its’ capability of solving the problem of food security, stating that there is a wrong common knowledge about food security and the size of land production, and using fertilizers and genetic modification, as there are farms that implement safe bio-agriculture and achieve great results in the production process. Bio-agriculture achieves natural diversity and doesn’t effect the human health. One of the farmers Hajj Farrag Mohamed questioned the possibility of high production by depending only on bio-agriculture without using chemical fertilizers, but Dr Haddad presented some models of farms that have succeeded in this.
Then spoke Ms Amal Sabri –representing the environment and health development association- clarifying that farmers in many areas of the world face the danger of the multinational companies that impose GM seeds on them.
Then spoke Mr. Karam Saber discussing what Dr Nasr El Din said about the role of the bio-safety committee in the exactitude of the importing market and then the Egyptian consumption. He confirmed that the Egyptian market is full of GMOs, for instance, we don’t eat soybeans, but we import its’ oil, we also eat biscuits that contain GE wheat and corn. He added that the effects of genetic engineering may appear on the human health in the fourth or fifth generation. European countries fight these products, while the developing countries can’t resist it. He also said that Egypt doesn’t need genetic modification, as 27 million Egyptians live in a very small area of the land, leaving the rest of the country unfarmed, in addition to wasting agrarian lands and the green valley by building on them. As a result for that, we import 80% of our food. That is why we need first to improve the usage of our resources before using harmful techniques.
Then spoke Dr. Mohamed Habashy –head of the local society development association in Rod El Farag- about the history of agrarian genetic engineering since the eighties till starting to produce new seeds without using pesticides, confirming that such seeds harm the environmental balance, in addition to confirming the criticism directed toward the bio-safety committee because of its’ weak supervision of the Egyptian market.
Then spoke Mr. Gamal Saber – chaiman of the board of the agrarian association in Warrak in Giza- asking about how could the average citizen and farmers obtain accurate information about this issue? As there is a lot of contradiction in what experts say, even in this workshop, and the farmers is unsure about the risks of GM seeds, and doesn’t know how to face them if they are truly harmful. These farmers demanded the necessity of transparency and providing citizens with full access to relevant information. Eng. Shawqy Ragheb –head of the farmers bond in Borg El Arab in El Behira- backed up and confirmed the farmers demands in this matter, and Dr. Nasr El Din replied by presenting all of the means to access information from the agrarian genetic engineering research center.
Then Mr. Eryan Nasief - secretary-general of the farmers union (under establishment)-presented a detailed analysis to the political dimensions of GM food in Egypt, clarifying that Egypt needs 700 thousand tons of seeds and fertilizers yearly, which cost 200 million pounds.
Finally, Dr. Hasan Abu Bakr concluded the session by confirming that we don’t stand against science and creativity, but we want to know the truth about the existence of GE food in the Egyptian market and its’ possible risks. He also confirmed that the policies of scientific research in Egypt must satisfy the real needs of the Egyptian society.
Mr. Mahmoud Mortada –director of the alternative development research center- was chairman of the second session, he organized the discussions between the attendances about the role that the civil society foundations could play in revealing the facts and facing the present and possible risks of GE food in Egypt. In the beginning, he clarified that the issue of GE food is very complex, as it includes economic interests for companies and political interests for countries, and if we want to face them, we must unite our efforts. And Mr. Adel Mahmoud –representing the local society development association in El Sharqeya- suggested to establish a wide network that include all of the interested national associations, and among it’s tasks is preparing a database containing all of the relevant information about the issue. He added that farmers must be a main part in these efforts.
Then spoke Ms. Fatma Mohamed Ali –representing Aafaq association for development in El Fashn in Bany Swuef- reinforcing the idea of establishing a strong network that include as many national associations as possible, with a role of raising the awareness about the existing GE products in the Egyptian market or could enter it, and work on organizing workshops and symposiums for farmers. She suggested that this network should work on influencing the decision makers and the agrarian policies through campaigns to mobilize the public opinion. She also confirmed that the rural pioneers should have an important role in building and implementing the ideas of this network. In addition to that, she said that the LCHR should be responsible of coordinating the work of this proposed network.
Then spoke Mr. Magdy Medany –a researcher at the LCHR- suggesting to invite farmers from different governorates and villages to symposiums to spread information, issue reports and conduct researches that show the size and risks of the problem, in addition to silent protests and strikes in front of genetic engineering labs that experiment or market GMOs. He has confirmed the necessity of labeling the food products whether they contain GMOs or not. He has also called for establishing a bank for natural seeds to be provided for farmers.
Then spoke Dr. Elham Ezz El Arab –a researcher at the national corporation for medical supervision and research- demanding the necessity of scientific monitoring for the negative effects of genetic engineering and the necessity of providing alternative technologies, like providing researchers in this field with the necessary support. Ms. Heba Mahmoud –a representative of the development and alternatives association- agreed with Dr. Elham, clarifying the necessity of supporting the idea of safe agriculture, but first, we must come out with the correct information about GE food before causing panic among citizens, and that is the responsibility of the civil society organizations.
Then spoke Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim –the agrarian consultant at CARE international Corporation- stating that this corporation made pioneer efforts to turn farms of thousands of acres (feddans) to implement safe agriculture, like Sakran village in Fayoum and Dar El Salam farms in Sohag. He also spoke about his creative practical expertise in this field. He said that he is willing to exchange expertise and information about how to do the same and help more farmers to adopt the idea, he also promised the LCHR to provide it with the necessary information about that to distribute them on farmers in the Egyptian countryside.
Then spoke Dr. Taymour Nasr El Din stating that he is also willing to cooperate with the attendances of farmers and national association representitatives, by exchanging with them his contact information, and invited them to visit the agrarian engineering research center and obtain the necessary information to achieve transparency, he also invited them to take part in the center’s conferences and symposiums, like the international conference that will be held in Cairo-September about the same issue.
At the end, Mr. Karam Saber thanked everyone for their contribution by attending and taking part in the debates, confirmed the necessity of implementing the workshop recommendations and promised that the LCHR will lead this initiative to guarantee citizens rights in safe and healthy food.