Aid team to study use of gene-modified food

Christian Century, June 14, 2003

Because of a variety of legal, economic and safety issues raised by the use of genetically modified food, a group of international ecumenical and relief organizations is forming a study team to work on guidelines regarding use of such food in their emergency aid programs.

Experts from the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches and the aid organization Action by, Churches Together are expected to address justice and theological issues also arising from the use of genetically modified food in countries facing famine and other hunger-related emergencies, says Ecumenical News International, the Geneva-based news agency.

"Often the question is not what type of food we can offer to the hungry, but rather whether we have anything to offer them at all," said Enos Moyo, the LWF's aid representative in Zambia. "The use of genetically modified food in food aid programs is extremely problematic," Rudolf Buntzel-Cano of the Church Development Service told an April meeting of the LWF's Department of World Service, where the issue first was raised. CDS is a consortium of German Protestant aid agencies.

He said there are also legal uncertainties because small-scale farmers would not be able to replant seeds from their harvest without infringing on the patent rights of the five companies that control the market. Normally farmers set aside a portion of their harvest for seedlings.

Opinions vary on the safety of genetically modified food. Some European countries bar the import of such food, while other nations have strict labeling requirements. Buntzel-Cano called for all food aid to have a certificate specifying the origin of food used in relief and development programs and for the right of countries in need of aid to reject genetically modified food.