By: Dwight Links
Farmers who intend to import or plant a specific genetically modified product have to advertise their plans to the public and concerned stakeholders.
Farmer Hennie Kruger from Old Smithfield farm in the Tsumeb area confirmed to The Villager that this is a trend that began in 2020.
Kruger explained that their reason for importing a specific kind of maize – yellow and white – is that they mill the maize.
As a result, their application indicates ‘Feed or Food’, and part of the by-products are also used to feed animals with leftover residue from the milling.
Kruger explained that locally sourcing non-GMO seeds for him and other farmers has been difficult.
“To source seeds locally has been difficult for individual farmers like myself and others. Farmers are struggling to get the seeds they want, which are not GMO-produced,” he added.
The main reason, according to Kruger, is that the suppliers do not store or distribute seeds that are not genetically modified.
According to the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), applications have to follow the Biosafety Act of 2006.
Parts of the act are still under review, but the act is still applicable as is.
“The application follows the required procedures of the Biosafety Act of Namibia [about imports],” the organisation indicated.
In terms of indicating whether or not the maize specifics indicated on the application are GMO or not, Kruger explained that South Africa does not indicate anymore whether products have any GMO aspects or not.
“They cannot do this anymore on whether to specify to you the importer on whether it has GMO in it or not. Our country, Namibia, now places an obligation on a business entity to indicate to a consumer whether or not a product contains traces of a GMO,” he added.
This new development began in 2020. According to Kruger, the other major importers of grain-based products, such as large cereal and food producers of Namibia, were informed to include descriptions and details of GMO traces.
According to Kruger, now every small importer – who imports once a year – has to comply with the same regulations as the large millers and cereal producers.
APPLICATION DETAILS
According to an official at the NCRST who manages the applications and the public viewing process of such applications, an importer has to comply with the details, as stated in the Act.
According to the application documents observed, they also cite and describe storage and handling. White and yellow maize are the main products.
“When a product is imported, an application indicates the experience of farmers or businesses in importing GMO products before, and for how long,” the NCRST explained.
During an application, an applicant also includes the training on herbicides and related chemical handling, which is related to the specific product that they are importing.
“Applications have to include these, as there are potential traits that could occur – meaning what possible reactions a GMO product will have with certain chemical make-ups of a herbicide or related chemicals used to treat GMO products,” according to NCRST, which confirmed this specific detail.
Applications under the Act also request an explanation on the point of entry into Namibia.
According to the Act, applicants have to include Emergency Response measures or plans that could become needed in the event of an accident or spillage.
These include eventualities of what happens to the GMO product, for example, if they can be consumed or what kind of exposure this will be.
All applications are evaluated by the Biosafety Council of NCRST.
Public queries on viewing will end by the end of July 2026 for this specific application that was advertised in a local daily newspaper on 6 July.
The NCRST explains that an application has a period of one month to accommodate concerns or contributions pertaining to the application from members of the public or concerned stakeholders.
