Tanzanian civil society and private sector organizations have come together to express their concern about the impact of GM technology on smallholder farmers and the environment.

 Tanzania Alliance for Biodiversity is a coalition of civil society and private sector organizations concerned with the conservation of agricultural biodiversity for livelihood security and food sovereignty. The members of the alliance share the aims of conserving biodiversity and supporting sustainable development, promoting farmers’ self-determination and food sovereignty, facilitating exchange of information and experiences concerning sustainable and healthy agriculture policies and practices, ensuring public awareness on issues of concern to the environment, agriculture and biodiversity, and promoting citizen involvement in the decision-making processes which guide the development of biotechnology particularly GMO.

Previously officially GM free, Tanzania has now opened the door to GM biotechnology. Research on GM cassava and field trials of WEMA maize have already started and Tanzania Cotton Board has announced their decision to introduce Bt cotton. Biosafety legislation is in place and regulators are under industry pressure to relax the strict liability clause, one of the last barriers to widespread introduction of GM crops. Alliance members believe that Biosafety regulations should be based on the precautionary principle and are convinced that introduction of GM crops or animals is not the right solution to fight poverty and hunger.

 Organic farmers in Tanzania – around 100,000 of them, mostly smallholder cocoa and cotton farmers with a few acres each - are waking up to the threat of GM contamination, which would render their products unmarketable and destroy their main source of income. Tanzanian farmers and decision makers need to fully understand the potential impact of GM biotechnology, and ensure that the views of civil society are being taken on board in developing GM plans.

 Just a few weeks old, the alliance has already brought together campaigners, organic exporters and NGOs including African Centre for Biodiversity, ActionAid International Tanzania, Biolands, BioRe, BioSustain, Envirocare, PELUM Tanzania, Swissaid, and Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement. The alliance joins similar movements in South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda, to resist the Africa-wide pressure from the US-driven biotech industry.

It is perhaps predictable that agribusiness corporations are selling a top-down technical fix for African food insecurity and poverty. But it is clear that the problems of African farmers are multi-faceted, including poor access to land, water, credit and investment, tried-and-tested technology, farm machinery, training, markets, roads, energy, and services. Rather than be seduced by the promise of high-tech miracle seeds, it is surely these issues that should be the focus of development efforts and resources.

Tanzania vyama vya kiraia na mashirika ya sekta binafsi wamekuja pamoja na kueleza wasiwasi wao juu ya athari za teknolojia ya GM juu ya wakulima wadogo wadogo na mazingira.

Tanzania Muungano wa Bayoanuwai ni muungano wa vyama vya kiraia na mashirika ya sekta binafsi na wasiwasi na uhifadhi wa bioanuwai ya kilimo kwa maisha ya usalama na uhuru wa chakula. Wanachama wa kushiriki muungano malengo ya kuhifadhi bioanuwai na kusaidia maendeleo endelevu, kuendeleza wakulima kujitawala na uhuru wa chakula, kuwezesha ubadilishanaji wa habari na uzoefu juu ya sera za kilimo endelevu na afya na mazoea, kuhakikisha mwamko wa wananchi juu ya masuala ya mazingira, kilimo na viumbe hai, na kukuza ushiriki wa wananchi katika mchakato wa kutoa maamuzi ambayo kuongoza maendeleo ya teknolojia hasa GMO.

Awali rasmi GM bure, Tanzania sasa alifungua mlango na bayoteknolojia GM. Utafiti juu ya GM mihogo na shamba ya majaribio ya mahindi Wema tayari kuanza na Bodi ya Pamba Tanzania imetangaza uamuzi wao wa kuanzisha pamba Bt. Bayoanuwai sheria ni mahali na de ni chini ya sekta ya shinikizo kali dhima ya kupumzika ya kifungu, moja ya vikwazo ya mwisho ya kuanzishwa mkubwa wa mazao ya GM. Muungano wanachama kuamini kwamba kanuni Bayoanuwai yanatakiwa kuzingatia kanuni ya tahadhari na wanaamini kwamba kuanzishwa kwa mazao ya GM au wanyama siyo ufumbuzi haki ya kupambana na umaskini na njaa.

Kikaboni wakulima katika Tanzania - karibu 100,000 yao, hasa wadogo wadogo kakao na wakulima wa pamba na ekari chache kila - ni waking up na tishio la uchafuzi GM, ambayo atatoa bidhaa zao unmarketable na kuharibu chanzo kikuu cha mapato. Tanzania wakulima na wafanya maamuzi haja ya kuelewa madhara uwezo ya teknolojia GM, na kuhakikisha kwamba maoni ya vyama vya kiraia ni kuwa kuchukuliwa kwenye ubao katika kuendeleza mipango ya GM.

Wiki chache tu zamani, ya muungano tayari kuletwa pamoja wanaharakati, mashirika yasiyo ya kiserikali na nje ya kikaboni ikiwa ni pamoja na Kituo cha Afrika Bioanuwai, ActionAid International Tanzania, Biolands, BioRe, BioSustain, Envirocare, PELUM Tanzania, Swissaid, na Tanzania Organic Agriculture Movement. muungano wa lawama harakati kama hizo katika Afrika Kusini, Zambia, Kenya na Uganda, na kupinga shinikizo la Afrika nzima na sekta ya US-inaendeshwa kibayoteki.

Pengine ni kwamba biashara ya kilimo kutabirika makampuni ni kuuza juu-chini ya kiufundi fix kwa uhaba wa chakula barani Afrika na umaskini. Lakini ni wazi kuwa matatizo ya wakulima wa Afrika ni vingi faceted, ikiwa ni pamoja na huduma duni katika ardhi, maji, mikopo na uwekezaji, teknolojia walijaribu-na-kupimwa, mashine ya shambani, mafunzo, masoko, barabara, nishati na huduma. Badala ya kuwa kuwahadaa na ahadi ya mbegu za high-tech muujiza, ni hakika haya masuala ya kwamba lazima lengo la jitihada za maendeleo na rasilimali.