Topic: 2024-GMOs and Food Security
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Delegate Name: Sadie Ankin
A large population of The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing food insecurity, with over 22% of the population being acutely food insecure. To help combat this issue the DRC receives aid in providing food to their citizens. Although, a tradeoff is that the majority of this aid contains Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). GMOs are plants, animals, or microorganisms that have been altered through non-natural processes, this is often referred to as genetic engineering. GMOs come with tremendous benefits, but nevertheless the topic is handled with extreme precaution.
The DRC follows what is known as the precautionary principle, in regards to their management of GMOs. The precautionary principle entails that the DRC emphasizes the risk of harm that GMOs can cause to humans and all living organisms. It also includes the position that more research needs to be done, until GMOs can be fully accepted and incorporated into the agriculture field in the DRC. Following the precautionary principle, essentially means that the DRC leads with a sense of hesitation surrounding the topic of GMOs. The DRC leads with such hesitation because it is one of the most biologically diverse countries in Africa. The use of GMOs yields extreme threats to the biodiversity within the DRC. Additionally, the DRC believes there is not enough research focusing on how GMOs impact human health. Throughout sub-saharan Africa there is a major split regarding support and opposition to GMOs. Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda support the use of GMOs, the DRC, along with Tanzania, and Burundi, have expressed reservations. Following trends of the region the DRC follows the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The DRC has been a party to CBD since 1994 and has taken several steps to implement its principles of conserving biodiversity, sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. Overall, the legally binding treaties’s objective is to encourage actions regarding GMOs that will lead to a sustainable future. The DRC has been a party to the Nagoya Protocol, a supplementary agreement to the CBD, since 2015. The Nagoya Protocol provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety has many objectives including, working to ensure an adequate level of protection in the safe transfer, handling, and use of living modified organisms (LMOs). Although the DRC remains skeptical about the use of GMOs, it is one of the nation’s only benefactors in trying to solve the problem of food insecurity.
The DRC recognizes that there is no way to completely eliminate the use of GMOs, especially due to the large percentage of citizens facing acute food insecurity. Instead, the DRC looks to implement the agreements: the Convection on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, all while following the precautionary principle. With these efforts in place, the DRC hopes to maintain the welfare of biodiversity, as agriculture is the livelihood of its people. Before fully accepting GMOs the DRC aims to conduct further research, to ensure that no harm is inflicted on its people or other living organisms.
