Lack of mention of GMOs in the recently approved Food and Nutrition Bill is a source of concern for Zambia

Lack of mention of Genetically Modified Organisms in the recently approved Food and Nutrition Bill is a source of concern for Zambia, as the country continues to witness the influx foods containing GMOs, says the Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition Alliance.

Mathews Mhuru, the Organisation Country Coordinator says it is regrettable that the Bill makes no mention of GMOs whose health risks remain unknown to the majority Zambian citizens.

Mr Mhuru was speaking yesterday when he and CSO-SUN partners Hivos Southern Africa made a submission to the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services on the National Food and Nutrition Bill passed by Cabinet on 17th February 2020.

He recommended that the Bill should create another function to be added to the National Food and Nutrition Commission to promote equitable nutrition access and service for vulnerable groups such as children living with disability and those without family care.

Mr Mhuru told the Committee that children living with disability and those without family care should be included in the Bill as vulnerable groups because they face challenges in accessing foods that are responsive to their nutritional needs.

And Hivos Southern Africa Manager for Sustainable Diets William Chilufya reiterated the need to place the National Food and Nutrition Commission to the Vice President’s office which will give the Commission more strength, authority and coordinating powers.

Mr Chilufya further recommended that the Executive Director of the National Food and Nutrition Commission should have a background in nutrition because of the multi-sector nature and complexity of the nutrition issues they are required to deal with at the Commission.

Mr Chilufya told the Committee chaired by Lukulu East UPND MP Dr Christopher Kalila that nutrition has not received adequate attention under the Ministry of Health as evidenced by the lack of a substantive Director at the Commission in the last three years an indication of lack of prioritisation of nutrition issues in the country.

He said nutrition is a multi sectoral problem that needs to be addressed with a multi sector approach and that moving the NFNC to the vice president’s office would be a progressive move.