Page 20 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 33

Food Health

citing an outbreak of Maize

Lethal Necrosis (MLN).
When we contacted Tanzanian
officials, they clarified that
their country had been
cleared of MLN in 2021.
They explained that a small
outbreak had occurred then,

but was effectively contained
and eradicated. Following this,
I messaged the Permanent
Secretary of Agriculture in
Zimbabwe, Professor Jiri,
to inquire why there was a
ban on Tanzanian non-GMO
maize imports while GMO maize was being
imported illegally from South Africa. He South African suppliers are paid in advance

claimed to have no knowledge of the ban. of delivery.

It appears that while Zimbabwe’s President They also speculated that much of the maize
serves as Chairman of SADC, certain arriving from the U.S. could be bleached
officials within the Ministry of Agriculture yellow maize, given that the U.S. produces
and regulatory bodies have imposed a bogus very little white maize.
barrier to entry upon Tanzanian non-GM

maize imports—a move that contradicts Barnes further revealed that within
SADC trade protocols. These actions the commodities industry, it is widely
seem designed to protect the monopoly of acknowledged that much of the maize
glyphosate-laced GMO maize from South exported to Zimbabwe from South Africa is
Africa and its U.S. sponsors, facilitated either sourced from the U.S. or grown under
by the infamous company owned by the contract by South African white farmers
notorious miller who publicly defended the specifically for Zimbabwe, under directives
glyphosate in their mealie meal. from the U.S. government.

Both the intelligence operative and Barnes This raises questions: why is the U.S. so
highlighted this situation to illustrate how invested in feeding Zimbabweans after
Zimbabwe’s food supply is effectively imposing sanctions that have crippled
captured by U.S. and South African interests. Zimbabwe’s farming sector for 23 years?
These interests continue to export GMO Could this be linked to the rising cancer rates
maize to Zimbabwe, even during times currently affecting Zimbabwe?
of bumper harvests, leaving Zimbabwean

farmers struggling to secure payments while

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