By Jumah Nsubuga

Padyere county MP in Nebbi district, Joshua Anywarach has advised his fellow legislators (MPs) most especially those seating on the parliamentary committee of science and technology chaired by Ajuri county MP Denis Obua not to pass the Bio-safety and Bio-technology Bill before a thorough research is done on the consequences of the genetically modified products in the country.

Anywarach said that genetically modified foods have serious implications on the social, economic, and ecological affairs of the country calling for scientists to further make research and come up with solutions.

The Bio-safety and Bio-technology Bill is set to be tabled at the floor of parliament soon for the first reading.

Uganda is one of the countries that are adopting this technology with field trials for GMO banana, maize, cotton, potatoes and rice at Namulonge and Kawanda Research Institutes.

The national biotechnology and biosafety bill 2012 is to provide a regulatory framework facilities the safe development and application of competent authority; to provide mechanism to regulate research, development and general release of genetically modified organism and for related matters.

Biotechnology has been used in Uganda for many years by several industries to process wine and beer in the production of cheese and yoghurt, leavening bread and extraction of cobalt.