28 November 2002

ALTERNATIVES TO GM IN ZAMBIA/APPEAL TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER IN SOME PARTS OF ZAMBIA

1. ALTERNATIVES TO GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS IN ZAMBIA
2. APPEAL TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER IN SOME PARTS OF ZAMBIA

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1. ALTERNATIVES TO GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS IN ZAMBIA

Zambian NGO Coalition sent by Friends of the Earth International
Nov 27, 2002

Having rejected the consumption of genetically modified (GM) maize in food  aid, the challenge that Zambians face is to find alternatives. A coalition  of Zambian non-givernmental organizations (NGOs) is saying now that one of  the solutions is actually within the country. They report that there are  significant amounts of alternatives to GM maize within Zambia. One of the  solutions they propose is to mobilise local alternative food crops from  areas of surplus to those in need. On November 15, Zambian religious,  hunger relief and women's groups issued an appeal to the world to help with  this undertaking.

A Zambian NGO named the Jesuit Center for Theological Reflection has  produced a video showing how cassava, an abundant non-GMO African staple  crop, is one alternative to corn. The video shows that in one province,  alone, in the North of the country there are estimations of surplus of  cassava of over 100.000 MT, which constitutes around 1/6 of the food  deficit estimated in the country. In addition, there is still some locally,  produced maize available in some parts of the country, just as there is  surplus cassava in the northern parts of the country.

As recorded in the video, according to Dr. Dryna Nyiranda, an articulate  spokesperson from Programme Against Malnutrition (PAM) in Zambia, "we can  move over 20000 MT of cassava within a month. If there is money available  we can move a lot of material in a short time."

PAM has experience in food relief in Zambia of more than 10 years. This has  clearly a great potential to make a significant contribution in the  critical months of the famine expected to be between December and March.  The coalition believes that if the project is supported many lives can be  saved during the critical period on the horizon.

You can view a roughly digitized version of the video at www.foe.org/foodaid.
(Real Player software and at least a 56k modem are needed.) A copy of the written appeal is included below.

The coalition of Zambian NGOs is looking for international support on this  project.

In the video appeal, Father Ignatius Mwembe from the Zambia Episcopal  Council says on behalf of a coalition of Zambian groups that "International  donors have generously donated to the WFP [World Food Programme] for the  purchase of foods for Zambia. We now appeal that the funds mobilised should  be utilise to source non GM food locally available".

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2. APPEAL TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER IN SOME PARTS OF ZAMBIA

Please share the appeal with others who might be in a position to respond.

Press Release

15 November 2002

The food crisis in our country is real. There are brothers, sisters and  friends within our country who are in dire need of food and yet there are  areas in Zambia with surplus alternative food crops to maize.

Having rejected the consumption of genetically modified (GM) maize as a  country, the challenge we have is to mobilise local alternative food crops  from areas of surplus to those in need. There is still some locally,  produced maize available in some parts of the country, just as there is  surplus cassava in the northern parts of the country.

In response to the food crisis in our country, international donor agencies  have generously donated finances through the World Food Programme (WFP) and  other organisations for the purchase of food for Zambia. We now appeal that  the funds mobilised should be utilised to source non-GM food locally  available.

We the undersigned are also appealing to all Zambians, individuals and  institutions, as well as well wishers to donate generously in cash or in  kind to this cause. At this critical stage we should stop looking only at  Donor agencies elsewhere. Instead, we have to take responsibility of our  situation as Zambians and mobilise the local surpluses as our frontline  response strategy. We are convinced that we (Zambians and our friends  living in Zambia) are generous people. We have demonstrated this in the  past by responding to various disaster situations that affected our  neighbourhood and beyond and including the most recent Mozambican floods.

Please make contributions through Citibank Lusaka Branch where all the  listed Bank Accounts below are based.

Christian Council of Zambia (CCZ), Church House, Cairo road. P.O. Box  30315, Lusaka, Zambia. Telephone: 229551 and 224622. Fax: 224308. E- mail: ccz@zamnet.zm

Bank account numbers:
Kwacha account:  251057028
Foreign account: 251057036

OR

Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), Plot number 8665 KAM Loops Road,  P.O. Box 33862. Lusaka, Zambia. Telephone: 292489 and 292663. E- mail: evafeza@zamnet.zm

Bank account numbers:
Kwacha account:  251260001
Foreign account: 251260028

(release with signatures continued on page 2 in a scanned file - this may  be found at www.foe.org/foodaid)