Topic: Regulating Genetically Modified Organisms and "Designer Food"
Country: Haiti
Delegate Name: Jacqueline Spiegel
School: Forest Hills Northern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Haiti position papers GLIMUN 2014 committees
To ensure an adequate level of protection for the transfer and handling and use of genetically modified organisms that may have adverse effects on the environment and human health, Haiti has signed the Cartagena Protocol. The Cartagena Protocol "creates an advanced informed agreement (AIA) procedure that requires exporters to seek consent from importing countries before the first shipment of living modified organisms meant to be introduced into the environment, establishes an internet-based “Biosafety Clearing-House” to help countries exchange information about living modified organisms, requires bulk shipments of living modified organisms commodities to be accompanied by documentation stating that such shipments “may contain” living modified organisms and are “not intended for intentional introduction into the environment”."
Haiti continues to see genetically modified organisms as a threat; genetically modified crops don’t produce fertile seeds, and therefore after harvesting the crop Haitian farmers have to buy more seeds instead of being able to use seeds from the year’s crop. Farmers will constantly be under the shadow of the need to buy new seeds each year instead of focusing on renewing the fields and increasing agricultural input into the economy. Haiti should be provided with their original crop’s seeds instead of toxin coated hybrid seeds and forcing them to learn how to grow this new seed or paying the price of inadequate education and knowledge to safely handle these dangerous seeds.
Adoption of genetically modified organisms is not an all or nothing prospect. We have to keep in mind that Haiti is a developing country, and that while it’s necessary to increase agricultural development as quickly as possible, independence should be encouraged concerning Haiti’s developing farms: they should not become dependent on genetically modified seeds they have to buy with each new season, but they can benefit from carefully considered and wise use of scientific breakthroughs.
