Wednesday

Terminator seeds shunned

ASNS

UGANDA is opposed to the introduction of the agricultural terminator seeds, as they would endanger the soil and livelihoods of smallholder farmers.

The Environment Minister, Jeje Odong, said this during one of the largest global meetings convened to discuss ways of reducing the rampant loss of biological diversity (variety and variability of life forms) last week in Brazil.

“The issue of agricultural terminator seeds became contentious and some of us who come from where farmers have a culture of keeping seeds for the subsequent planting season opposed it,’’ he said.

The terminator seeds are genetically altered and a gene that destroys their ability to germinate and produce subsequent generation is inserted.

Odong told Press in Kampala that lobby groups from Africa, Asia and Latin America overwhelmingly attacked the terminator technology.

Moses Mapesa, of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, who was part of the Uganda team to Brazil, said the global agreement made a resolution to put on hold the terminator technology.

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