PLAYING WITH HUNGER

The document examines the controversy surrounding the shipment of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as food aid, particularly in Southern Africa, Latin America, and Asia. It argues that the US government and agencies like USAID and the WFP have pressured developing nations to accept GM food aid, often presenting a false choice between GMOs and starvation. The report details case studies where GM ingredients were found in aid shipments despite national bans or lack of labeling, such as in Ecuador, Bolivia, and India. It further contends that GM crops are not a solution to hunger, which is instead caused by poverty, debt, and Western agricultural subsidies. The report advocates for a shift toward sustainable agriculture, local food procurement, and the application of the precautionary principle regarding GMOs.

• During the 2002 Southern Africa food crisis, recipient nations were presented with a false choice between accepting genetically modified (GM) food aid or facing starvation, despite the availability of non-GM alternatives from Japan and the European Union.
• The US government has used food aid as a marketing tool to facilitate export surpluses and capture new markets for the US biotech industry, rather than prioritizing the food security needs of recipient nations.
• Case studies show that GM ingredients have been introduced into countries without prior information or in violation of local laws, including the discovery of StarLink maize—not authorized for human consumption in the US—in aid sent to Bolivia.
• In Zambia, the World Food Programme (WFP) refused to support the use of traditional, locally available foods like cassava to combat hunger, instead importing barley from the US which is not a staple food in Zambia.
• The US Senate passed a bill on May 15, 2003, that ties financial assistance for AIDS prevention to the acceptance of GM food aid in African states.
• GM crops are deemed inappropriate for alleviating poverty in sub-Saharan Africa because they are expensive, ineffective, and may perform poorly in local growing conditions, potentially leading to lower yields for farmers who save seeds.
• The report asserts that the real causes of hunger in Africa are structural issues—including poverty, debt, lack of infrastructure, and Western farm subsidies—rather than a lack of biotechnological solutions.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2003). PLAYING WITH HUNGER. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/playing_with_hunger2.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. PLAYING WITH HUNGER. 2003. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/playing_with_hunger2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=PLAYING WITH HUNGER |date=July 2003 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/playing_with_hunger2.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2003playing, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{PLAYING WITH HUNGER}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2003}, month = jul, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/playing_with_hunger2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }