www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

Colombia has allowed genetically modified (GM) corn to enter its borders for
the first time, and will authorise plantations of other GM products later in
the year, March 2007 by Lisbeth Fog.

The Colombian Institute of Agriculture (ICA) approved one hundred
kilograms of GM corn for import last month, half of which is resistant to a
herbicide and the other half to insects.

Andrés F. Arias, from the Ministry of Agriculture, says growers from four
regions of Colombia ? Córdoba, Huila, Sucre and Tolima ? will be allowed to
buy the seeds.

Ana Luisa Diaz, of ICA, told SciDev.Net that authorisation has been given
only to regions where the Institute has done controlled biosafety
assessments.

The ICA will conduct follow-up biosafety studies of the seed from planting
until harvest.

At a meeting this week (3 March) Arias also announced approval of
semi-commercial plantations of GM cassava, rice, roses, sugarcane and coffee
later this year, with commercial approval to be granted in 2008.

But some are concerned about the developments. German Velez, from the
non-governmental organisation Grupo Semillas says, "The biosafety policies
and rules in this country are nonsense."

Velez is concerned that the GM products will cross-pollinate and therefore
alter the natural species of these plants. He pointed to a case in México,
where he says natural corn has been contaminated by GM corn.

"These technologies have been designed for big agricultural companies and
won?t benefit the poor," he said. However, he acknowledged that studies have
not yet determined GM products' effect on human health.

Arias defended GM products, saying they increase crop production per hectare
and therefore boost farmers' incomes while reducing pressure on natural
ecosystems.

Osiris Ocando, from Agro-Bio, a non-profit organisation, applauded the
government's decision. He hoped Colombian farmers could make use of a wide
variety of GM corn seeds, as it is "essential that the Colombian
agricultural sector is able to use modern technology to enhance its
competitiveness".

Colombia is one of the 22 countries to have planted GM seeds. Of its cotton
plantations, 41 per cent (22.7 hectares) are the GM variety Bt.

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