Swaziland National Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy
Swaziland’s National Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy seeks to balance the goals of biotechnology adoption in support of sustainable development outcomes with protection of the environment as well as human and animal health. The Policy:
- Advocates for development of human and infrastructural capacities for biotechnology research and development as well for biosafety,
- Reaffirms Swaziland’s commitment to and obligations under the Convention as well as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
- Recognizes the importance of protecting people, environment and biological diversity while promoting sustainable social and economic development and further recognizes the harm that could result from unregulated use of modern biotechnology.
In an attempt to ensure this, the National Policy lays the foundation for the Institutional Arrangements for administration and decision-making processes in the area of biosafety. Recognizing that a proportion of the population is vulnerable to hunger, the policy allows for food aid that may be genetically modified to be received into the country with conditions i.e.
- All events have been approved for use as food in the country of origin,
- The consignment has not been contaminated by any unapproved events,
- The food is milled prior to distribution.
The Policy also requires that a database of all GM food aid consignments received will be maintained.