Most Zimbabweans could be unknowingly consuming genetically modified food as the country does not have effective mechanisms to monitor the importation and sale of such products.

The Government Analyst Laboratory — mandated to screen GMOs — does not have equipment to test foodstuffs at ports of entry.

Global opinion is divided over risks associated with GMO products. Although scientists are yet to prove their side-effects, those against GMOs have linked them to various illnesses and allergies.

Zimbabwe does not prohibit GMOs, but demands to know their composition and quantities. The GMO products are also supposed to be clearly labelled and checked at ports of entry.

The Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) and National Bio-Technology Authority (NBA) have a standard relating to voluntary labelling and advertising of food and stock feed as GMO-free or otherwise.

Testing the products determine GMO content while labelling allows consumers to consciously decide whether or not to purchase a particular product.

The laboratory’s manpower is also seriously depleted, making it impossible to monitor shops on the sale of the products which are often unlabelled.

Zimbabwe has over the last few years been relying on imports and various products, GMOs included, have found their way onto the domestic market.

Among the items with GMO content are chicken, milk, cereals, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, apples, pears and cooking oil.

The laboratory’s deputy director Mr Freddy Chinyavanhu said, “In normal circumstances, we are supposed to vet the importation of foodstuffs by testing them at ports of entry. However, we haven’t been able to do that as we lack the necessary equipment.

“On the other hand, we have no legal obligation to apprehend importers bringing goods with more than the internationally accepted percentage of GMOs in food (1 percent).”

The NBA could not immediately comment. However, its website says there is no evidence that GMO products are harmful.

“The World Health Organisation, Food and Agricultural Organisation and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development have declared that all commercialised GM foods are safe.

“. . . Most countries are still to segregate and label GM products. This creates problems for countries like Zimbabwe that import foodstuffs, especially in a processed and semi-processed form, as the labelling of GM foods is not mandatory in many countries.”

Consumer Council of Zimbabwe Executive Director Ms Rosemary Siyachitema demanded tighter monitoring.

“It’s mandatory, food products have to be labelled whether they are GMO or not. This gives consumers a choice to buy what’s suitable for them. As consumers, we should not buy blindly, but learn to read labels as well,” she said.

A GMO is any organism whose genetic material has been modified in ways that do not occur naturally through mating or natural recombination.

In early 2015, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa crafted a biotechnology and bio-safety policy providing member states with a mechanism for scientific risk assessment of GMOs.

This policy targets safe and regulated GMO use, focusing on both benefits and potential risks.

Japan, Switzerland, Australia, Russia, Austria, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, Greece, Bulgaria, Poland, Italy, Mexico and Russian have either imposed total or partial bans on GMOs.