JUSTICE BAIDOO is an award-winning Multimedia Journalist based in Accra, Ghana. I have more than ten years of experience working for major news outlets like Reuters West Africa, Los Angeles Times, CGTN and JoyNews in Ghana.

Ghana Launches First GMO Crop Amid Debate

16 Aug 2024  |  allAfrica.com  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

Ghana has launched its first genetically modified crop, a pod borer-resistant cowpea, developed by the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute. This development aims to help farmers combat the Maruca vitrata pest, which has significantly affected yields. The introduction of the GMO crop follows a legal victory for the National Biosafety Authority against civil society groups opposing GMOs. While some farmers welcome the new crop for its potential to increase yields and reduce pesticide use, organizations like Food Sovereignty Ghana express concerns over biodiversity and long-term health impacts. The debate highlights differing views on the benefits and risks of GMOs in Ghana.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Agriculture Legal Disputes

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A London-based multi-award winning reporter, with data journalism skills to complement traditional investigative muckracking. 

Published by Reuters, the BBC, Greenpeace, openDemocracy, EUobserver, The Black Sea, The Canary, DeSmog, Investigate Europe. First to prove who truly owns UK's fishing ...

London’s Evening Standard sells its editorial independence to Uber, Google and others – for £3 million

05 Apr 2023  |  openDemocracy  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

The article by openDemocracy investigates a commercial deal between Syngenta, a large agribusiness company, and ESI Media, which owns London’s Evening Standard. The deal involved paid content promoting Syngenta's stance on the 'future of food' without disclosing the company's legal challenges in the US or the controversy over UK's post-Brexit GM seed regulations. The coverage was part of a growing trend within ESI Media to blur the lines between advertising and editorial content. The article also touches on the potential impact of Brexit on UK's GMO regulations and the role of corporate lobbying in shaping public opinion. It raises concerns about the lack of transparency in media partnerships and the influence of commercial interests on editorial content.

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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Media Ethics Advertising and Editorial Content Agricultural Biotechnology Corporate Lobbying Brexit and Agriculture Policy

Marthe de Ferrer is a journalist based in Manchester, United Kingdom.

"Frankenchickens": the "nightmarish" reality of chicken farming in the UK

15 Jun 2022  |  fr.euronews.com  |  French  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

Animal rights activists criticize Morrisons for selling genetically modified chickens, termed 'Frankenchickens,' which grow 400% faster than normal, causing severe animal suffering. Open Cages and The Humane League lead campaigns against this practice, highlighting legal violations and inadequate enforcement by UK authorities. The article discusses the broader issue of fast-growing chickens in the EU and suggests consumer actions to avoid supporting such cruelty. Major brands like KFC, Nando's, Waitrose, and Marks & Spencer are noted for adhering to better welfare standards.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Animal Welfare Supermarkets

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Ann is an Australian freelance journalist in Mexico City. She reports for international media outlets on social, political and economic issues in Mexico including migration, the 'war on drugs', and feminist and indigenous social movements. 

Contributor to Foreign Policy, BBC New Economy, The New ...

Mexico bans the planting of genetically modified corn but not imports

03 Mar 2022  |  dialogochino.net  |  Spanish  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

Mexico's Supreme Court upheld a 2013 ruling known as the 'precautionary principle,' allowing authorities to reject GMO crop planting permits due to potential harm to health and the environment. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued a decree to ban genetically modified corn for human consumption by 2024 and eliminate glyphosate use. Despite legal challenges from seed companies and industry bodies, the ban does not affect animal feed imports. The debate on GMOs in Mexico continues, with concerns about cross-pollination with native corn and the impact on biodiversity, culture, and farmer dependency on multinational corporations.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Agriculture Government Policy

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Jonathan Gilbert is a journalist based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Argentina Pushes to Get Out of Farming Time Warp With Better GMO Seeds

01 Jan 2024  |  BNN  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

Argentina is updating its seed technology regulations, which have remained unchanged since the 1970s, to allow companies like Syngenta, Corteva, and Bayer to charge royalties for patented seeds. This move, part of President Javier Milei's economic reforms, aims to boost investment and improve access to modern GMO seeds, potentially increasing agricultural productivity. Argentina's outdated laws have left it behind competitors like Brazil and the US, with Argentine soybean yields 17% lower. The reform faces opposition in congress, where Milei's party is a minority. The article also mentions the decline in Argentina's agriculture due to heavy taxation and export interference, and the previous unsuccessful attempts to charge for seeds. Bayer's withdrawal from the Argentine soy seed market in 2021 is also noted.

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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Agriculture Economic Reform Intellectual Property Rights Agricultural Productivity

Moses Havyarimana is a journalist based in Bujumbura, Burundi.

East African Community Group Seeks Same GMO Laws

03 Oct 2023  |  www.voaafrica.com  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

The East African Community is working to harmonize laws on Genetically Modified Organisms across its eight member states. Regional lawmakers have begun consulting and scrutinizing existing policies as part of this initiative.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Regional Policy

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Alfonso Kasongo is an award winning journalist based in Lusaka, Zambia with more than 6 years of experience in print,online and TV.
Alfonso, has great passion in environmental, climate change, science ( biotechnology) and agroecology reporting.
He has skills in news gathering, writing ...

Take Interest in GMO, Genome-Editing Research and Development

18 Apr 2024  |  alfonsokasongo.blogspot.com  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

Zambia's biotechnology regulator, the National Biosafety Authority, assures the nation of its capacity to regulate GMOs and their application in research and development. The country has seven biotechnology laboratories capable of detecting safe GMO levels. Amidst debates between pro and anti-biotechnology scientists, the NBA emphasizes the importance of evidence-based science in addressing misconceptions about GMOs. The Dziwa Science and Technology Trust encourages local scientists to engage in research and public communication to influence policy and address socio-economic challenges. The Zambia Alliance for Agro-ecology and Biodiversity expresses concern over the NBA's perceived bias towards GM technology.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Biotechnology Agriculture

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Kamilia Lahrichi is a freelance video journalist and producer based in Morocco. She covers current and international affairs in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.
Kamilia Lahrichi has worked with The Guardian, CNN International, Wall Street Journal, The Huffington Post, USA Today, VICE News, ...

China should impose tougher checks on genetically modified soy imports

21 Oct 2014  |  South China Morning Post  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

On World Food Day, concerns were raised about the health risks posed to the Chinese population by imports of genetically modified soybeans, particularly from Argentina. The soybeans contain high levels of glyphosate, a herbicide linked to cancer and birth defects. Despite economic benefits, the health and environmental impacts of GM crops and associated herbicides are significant. Chinese policymakers and military have taken steps to limit the use of GM crops due to health concerns. Experts suggest that China's market influence could lead to reduced herbicide use in soy production if quality standards are enforced.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Food Security Health Risks

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I am a documentary filmmaker, photographer, multimedia journalist and conservation storyteller currently based and registered for business in Suva, Fiji. I specialise in impactful storytelling related to social justice, human rights, climate change, climate resilience, environmental conservation, ...

Scientifically Speaking | As bananas fall victim to a pandemic, GM comes to the rescue

27 Feb 2023  |  /  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

Genetically modified bananas resistant to the TR4 strain have been approved for commercial growth in Australia and New Zealand, marking a significant development in combating a pandemic affecting the Cavendish variety, which constitutes around 50% of the world's banana supply. This approval follows concerns raised in 2021 about the vulnerability of the Cavendish to fungal diseases, which previously led to the decline of the Gros Michel variety.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Agriculture Pandemic

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Experienced and an established international freelance journalist with an office in Malawi's commercial capital Blantyre. I do radio,  print and TV stories with 21 years of practical experience in journalism.  I am an accredited stringer for the Voice of America, a correspondent for the Africa ...

Malawi Testing Genetically Modified Maize to Fight Hunger, Agricultural Pests

05 Oct 2023  |  www.voanews.com  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

Malawi has initiated trials of genetically modified maize to address recurrent hunger and combat agricultural pests such as fall armyworms and caterpillars. These trials are taking place amidst concerns regarding the potential health and environmental impacts of genetically modified organisms.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Agriculture Hunger

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Wallace Mawire is a journalist based in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Urged to Reconsider GMO Stance to Stay Competitive and Address Climate Challenges

05 Apr 2023  |  panafricanvisions.com  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Research Professor Ed Mabaya from Cornell University has called for Zimbabwe to reconsider its stance on GMOs, highlighting their safety and the challenges posed by climate change. He suggests that GMOs could help Zimbabwe stay competitive against food imports and improve nutrition through bio-fortification. The article also revisits a 2013 prediction by Economist John Robertson, who warned that Zimbabwe's refusal to adopt GM cotton seed would lead to a fall in cotton prices and put the cotton and textile industries at risk. Since then, Zimbabwe's cotton industry has indeed suffered, with farmers moving to other crops and job losses in the textile industry.

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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Agriculture Economy

vivek mishra is a journalist based in New Delhi, India.

Known unknowns: India's apex food regulator has no data on presence of GMOs in fresh produce imported over past 5 years

11 Nov 2023  |  /  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) lacks data on whether fresh produce imported over the past five years contains genetically modified (GM) varieties. This information gap, revealed by a Right To Information (RTI) investigation by Down To Earth, raises concerns about the presence of GMOs in fruits and vegetables sold in India. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 prohibits the import, manufacture, use, or sale of GM food without FSSAI's approval, yet the regulatory body has no records of tests conducted to check for GM varieties.

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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Food Safety Regulation

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Chika Onyesi is a journalist based in Abuja, Nigeria.

CSO coalition demands end to introduction of GM potatoes by Nigerian government

23 Sept 2024  |  Daily Post Nigeria  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

A coalition of over 100 civil society groups in Nigeria is demanding the government halt plans to introduce genetically modified (GM) potatoes, citing potential risks to health, the environment, and the country's food system. The coalition, represented by figures like Nnimmo Bassey and Joyce Brown, argues that GMOs violate human rights and degrade food systems. They criticize the National Biosafety Management Agency for proceeding with GMO plans despite a lack of transparency and stakeholder engagement. The article highlights concerns about the erosion of indigenous crop varieties and calls for addressing agricultural challenges through organic methods rather than genetic modification.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Agriculture Policy Public Health

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Fabíola Ortiz is a Luso-Brazilian journalist currently based in Dortmund, Germany.
As an independent journalist, I report in Portuguese, Spanish and English about current affairs, development, human rights and international relations. 
I previously lived in Argentina, Australia, Brazil and United ...

Manipulate and Mislead – How GMOs are Infiltrating Africa

01 Mar 2015  |  www.ipsnews.net  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

The article argues against the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Africa, challenging the notion that GMOs are necessary for food security. It criticizes multinational corporations, particularly Monsanto, and philanthropic projects like those funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for pushing GMOs into African markets under the guise of assistance. The authors, Haidee Swanby and Mariann Bassey Orovwuje, emphasize the importance of supporting small-scale food producers and agro-ecology, and warn that the adoption of GMOs could undermine the diversity and resilience of African agriculture. They advocate for changing power relations that perpetuate hunger and for giving control over food production back to smallholders in Africa.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Agriculture Food Security

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Tamara Pearson has been a journalist for 22 years, and an editor as well for a total of 12 of those. She is based in Puebla, Mexico.

Investigative Report: Are You Eating Genetically Modified Salmon? Here’s How To Know

27 Sept 2017  |  thealternativedaily.com  |  English  |  Genetically Modified Organisms

AquaBounty Technologies in Maynard, Massachusetts, sold genetically modified salmon in Canada, raising health and environmental concerns. Critics, including the Center for Food Safety and Food & Water Watch, highlight potential risks such as increased cancer-causing hormones, allergies, and ecological disruption. The FDA's approval of the GM salmon and its regulation as an animal drug are contested. Consumers currently lack the means to identify GM salmon, and some retailers have pledged not to sell it. The case's outcome could set a precedent for future genetically engineered animal products.

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Genetically Modified Organisms Food Safety Environmental Impact

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