BY JOWIT SALUSEKI –
THE National Biosafety Authority (NBA) has in a bid to facilitate a comprehensible understanding of biosafety issues translated terminologies in the seven main local languages.
The NBA is a Government agency regulating the use and development of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) in Zambia  in order to maximize the benefits of modern technology for end users, producers, consumers and the general public.
Speaking in an interview at the ongoing Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Ndola, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Doris Musonda said the organisation has taken a historical approach to translate terms and phrases in the main local languages so that the members of the public will be able to understand the benefits of biosafety and the operations of the NBA.
Ms Musonda also clarified that currently, the country is not growing any genetically modified organisms, but only allows processed foodstuffs with less than 0.9 per cent  of GMO’s.
“Genetically Modified Organisms are allowed in Zambia once they have undergone risk assessment and have been authorized by the NBA in writing’’, Ms Musonda said.
She said the NBA, besides regulating,also  takes measures to protect crops, humans and animal health, biological diversity and the environment from the risks that may be posed by any GMO’s.
“A person commits an offence if they research, develops, imports, releases, places on the market or makes contained use of any genetically modified organism or product without the written approval of the Authority. This can attract a fine of 500,000 penalty units or 15 years imprisonment or both,” Ms Musonda said.
She said the public should not confuse GMO’s with hybrid products as some crops could grow bigger if they were to be grown in a proper way.
Senior Biosafety Officer Maimouna Abass said 12 applications have so far been received from people intending to deal in GMO’s  of which 10 are for processed foods while two are for for research purposes.
Mrs Abass said before an application is approved, a Scientic Advisory Committee(SAC) Comprsing of experts drawn from scientific related fields scrutinizes the applications taking into account any risk assessments on what impact the product to be brought in the country will have on both human  and the environment.
The NBA was established under the Biosafety Act No.10 0f 2007 to regulate the use and development of GMO’s in the country in order to utilize the benefits of current technology for end users, producers, consumers and the general public.