The founder and chairman of Technology and Business Forum, Ernest Bwalya has praised the Zambian government for initiating the review of the country’s biotech and biosafety policy, saying it will allow the nation to take advantage of the innovative technology.
Bwalya thanked the Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Engr. Collins Nzovu for initiating the review.
He also noted that the policy and legal framework were put in place when the field of biotechnology was in its infancy, and a lot of groundbreaking developments in biotechnology have occurred since then, rendering some components of the current policy and legal framework counterproductive.
Bwalya expressed confidence that the review would amend or repeal Act No. 10 of 2007, whose internal logic was largely based on the precautionary principle.
He stated that modern biotechnology has great potential for the nation’s socio-economic development, particularly in areas such as agriculture, health, environment, and industry.
Bwalya emphasised that reviewing the act would aid in creating a legal and institutional framework that regulates technology with the internal logic of harnessing its enormous potential to contribute to Zambia’s sustainable development.
“Modern biotechnology,” he said “has great potential for socio-economic development in areas such as agriculture, health, environment, and industry. The Act’s relook will create a legal framework to regulate the technology and harness its potential for Zambia’s sustainable development”.
Bwalya concluded by thanking the minister and his team for considering the review of the Biosafety Policy of 2003, which is no longer in line with the many useful advances in modern biotechnology.
