Browsing: Greenpeace Africa

Africa making critical strides to tackle plastic pollution

Business
  • Out of 54 states, 34 have either passed a law banning plastics and implemented it or have passed a law to tackle the plastics menace. 
  • Plastic pollution is a global crisis and governments need to collaborate in a more coordinated approach to end this crisis.
  • Legally binding agreements will deal with plastic pollution from production to disposal. 

Africa has come a long way on the journey to tackle plastic pollution with as many as 34 countries out of 54 passing a law banning plastics. However, these countries have a long way to go in implementing these rules that create a plastic-free continent. 

“We have seen countries such as Rwanda taking the lead in the quest to find a global binding instrument to deal with the plastic crisis. Others like Morocco, whose consumption of the raw material used in manufacturing plastic bags dropped by 50 per cent since its plastic …

JUNE NJOROGE MONOPOLY OF FOOD SYSTEMS ARTICLE Caption Kenya President Ruto meets US President Joe Biden on a diplomatic visit.

Monopolising Africa’s food systems: Is Kenya’s GMOs adoption corporate engineered?

Industry and Trade

Activists and agriculture lobbyist have already protested the move by the government to lift the 10-year ban on GM foods. A joint statement signed by Greenpeace Africa and lobbyist groups argued that, “food security is not just about the amount of food, but the quality and safety. Our cultural and indigenous foods have proved to be safer, with diverse nutrients and with less harmful chemical inputs.”

Lobbyists insist that public participation could have taken place, prior to lifting the ban; and are championing for its reinstatement. Furthermore, they are advocating for an inclusive participatory process to be instituted or a taskforce onboarded, to investigate long-term and sustainable solutions to attain food security.

The move has elicited divergent views across the region. Tanzania is firmly opposed to the use of biotechnology in food production, and considering its proximity to Kenya, has upgraded its vigilance to ensure GM food or cash crops…

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