wfn.org | Guidelines on Use of Genetically Modified Food Essential in

["Frank Imhoff" <Frank.Imhoff@elca.org>]

Guidelines on Use of Genetically Modified Food Essential in Emergency and
Development Operations
LWF Standing Committee for World Service Approves Position Paper on
GMOs

MONTREUX, Switzerland/GENEVA, 30 June 2005 (LWI) * When the Zambian
government prohibited the distribution of genetically modified maize
during the 2002 drought, the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department
for World Service (DWS) country program there was put in a difficult
situation.

LWF/DWS Zambia was required, on the one hand, to keep 3,000 tons of maize
locked in a warehouse. On the other hand, the country program had to
justify its actions to a population in need of food aid. Such a situation,
according to the program's director, Rev. Enos Moyo, points to the urgent
need to establish guidelines for distributing genetically modified foods.

In a position paper on the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
that was addressed to DWS, Moyo reported that the government's decision at
the time did not include an analysis of the potential consequences of such
action for the population.

One step toward a clearly spelt out distribution procedure is the Position
Paper on Genetically Modified Organisms in Emergency and Development
Operations, which the LWF Standing Committee for World Service approved in
Montreux, Switzerland in early May. The document is the result of a
consultation process between DWS and ecumenical organizations, churches,
partner agencies and civil society organizations. Two years ago the
Standing Committee proposed the development of guidelines for the use of
genetically modified foods as food aid.

The DWS country programs' initial response to this paper has been broad
approval, according to Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, DWS Program Officer for
Sustainable Development and Environment.

Rev. Silvio Schneider, Director of the Lutheran Diakonia Foundation
(Funda**o Luterana de Diaconia * FLD), Evangelical Church of the Lutheran
Confession in Brazil, points out that GMOs threaten traditional agricultural practices in Brazil. "In Brazil, the Monsanto company has begun charging
royalties for genetically modified seeds," Schneider says.

Until a year ago, large quantities of such seeds had been smuggled into
the country via Paraguay and Argentina. When genetically modified seeds
were legalized, the farmers who had cultivated the illegally imported
grain were put under pressure. According to Schneider the problem lies in
the patenting of GMOs, which now enables the corporate conglomerates to
demand royalty payments.

Bueno de Faria believes widespread use of GMOs promotes monopolies in
agriculture. "Six multinational corporations control 98 percent of the
genetically modified plants and 70 percent of all pesticides," he
observes. He cites BASF, Bayer Aventis, Dow, DuPont, Syngenta and
Monsanto, saying the latter alone owns 90 percent of all genetically
modified seeds.

The most critical problem associated with the distribution of genetically
modified grain as relief assistance is the possibility to eliminate native
seeds' during cross-pollination. There is a risk of "destroying the
people's cultural and historical roots. The use of native and varied seeds
is part of their culture and way of life," Bueno de Faria adds.

In its position paper, the Standing Committee calls for the rejection of
GMOs. It says: "Not enough is known about GMOs to categorically state
whether they will be harmful, harmless or beneficial in some aspects to
human health in the longer term."

"In order to guarantee food security and food sovereignty for [all]," the
committee stated, "it is essential for food to be produced through
diversified, community-based production systems. Food aid will be bought
as much as possible locally, nationally and in the region."

DWS is also required to provide information about the food's origin.
According to the position paper, "DWS will NOT buy any genetically
modified food with the resources administered by it, even if the food
comes from the local market."

If the distribution of donated genetically modified food aid is unavoidable, in order to alleviate an insurmountable hunger situation, DWS field
programs must take several precautions. They first need to ensure that all
beneficiaries have access to information about the food's origin. The
beneficiaries should also have the right to know whether the food is
genetically modified and to choose whether to receive such food.

In addition, the Standing Committee for World Service stated that DWS
would not distribute whole kernel genetically modified crops as food aid,
it must be milled. The Committee's statement is in line with decisions
taken by the governments of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe during famine
in 2002. These countries require that all imported genetically modified
maize be milled before distribution to ensure that it is not used as seeds
for cultivation.

The Position Paper on Genetically Modified Organisms in Emergency and
Development Operations is posted on the LWF Web site at
 http://www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/DWS/Focus_Areas/DWS-Position-Paper-GMOs-2005.pdf
(771words)

(A contribution by Barbara Schneider, youth trainee, LWF Office for
Communication Services.)

(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran
tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 138
member churches in 77 countries all over the world, with a total membership of nearly 66 million. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in
areas of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith relations,
theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the
various aspects of mission and development work. Its secretariat is
located in Geneva, Switzerland.)

[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information service. Unless
specifically noted, material presented does not represent positions or
opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where the dateline of an
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