This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VATICAN 000504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EB (CEKUTA), EUR/WE, AF/S, AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO EAID ETRD TBIO VT VTEAGR
SUBJECT: AFRICA BIOTECH EXPERTS TELL HOLY SEE OFFICIALS: 
"LET US FEED OUR PEOPLE" 
 
REF: 02 VATICAN 6141 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  EMBASSY VATICAN HOSTED A ONE-DAY SEMINAR ON 
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD JANUARY 27 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  00504  01 OF 02  071112Z 
AIMED AT OFFERING AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES ON BIOTECH 
DEVELOPMENTS TO KEY HOLY SEE OFFICIALS, NGO REPRESENTATIVES, 
AND DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES ACCREDITED TO THE HOLY SEE 
FROM MANY EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.  THE PANELISTS -- INCLUDING 
FARMERS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, ACTIVISTS AND SCIENTISTS -- 
MADE CLEAR THEIR BELIEF THAT AFRICA NEEDS TO AVAIL ITSELF OF 
BIOTECH CROPS IN ORDER TO SECURE A HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS 
FUTURE FOR ITS PEOPLE.  IN THE FACE OF PERSISTENT SUSPICION 
OF ECONOMIC MOTIVES BEHIND U.S. PROMOTION OF BIOTECH FOODS, 
THE COMPELLING MESSAGE ARTICULATED BY THE AFRICAN PANELISTS 
LEFT PARTICIPANTS WITH A CLEAR SENSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR 
BIOTECH FOODS NOT ONLY TO RELIEVE THE CURRENT FAMINE, BUT 
ALSO TO CONTRIBUTE TO MORE EFFICIENT, SELF-SUSTAINING 
AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
----------------- 
ECONOMIC BENEFITS 
----------------- 
 
¶2.   CONTINUING EMBASSY VATICAN'S ADVOCACY FOR BIOTECH FOODS 
WITH THE HOLY SEE AND AFFILIATED AGENCIES (REFTEL), MISSION 
HOSTED A CONFERENCE IN COORDINATION WITH AFRICABIO AND THE 
ITALIAN ASSOCIATION OF BIOTECH COMPANIES AIMED AT BROADENING 
OUR DIALOGUE WITH THE HOLY SEE BEYOND IMMEDIATE FAMINE RELIEF 
TO LONGER-TERM ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF BIOTECH CROPS. 
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS WERE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE ECONOMIC 
BENEFITS BIOTECH CAN OFFER AFRICA, ASIA AND OTHER DEVELOPING 
AREAS.  ONE SOUTH AFRICAN FARMER AND BIOTECH PIONEER 
(BUTHELIZI) TOLD HIS STORY OF OVERCOMING SKEPTICISM TOWARD 
BIOTECH CROPS THROUGH HIS EXPERIENCES WITH THE MORE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  00504  01 OF 02  071112Z 
PROFITABLE SEED.  WHEN FIRST OFFERED BIOTECH SEED, HE DECIDED 
TO SPLIT HIS CROP 50-50 BETWEEN BIOTECH AND TRADITIONAL 
MAIZE.  THAT FIRST YEAR, HIS REGION EXPERIENCED HEAVY RAINS 
AND FLOODING WHICH PROVED DISASTROUS FOR HIS TRADITIONAL 
CROPS (EATEN BY PESTS) BUT HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON HIS 
PEST-RESISTANT BIOTECH CROP.  BUTHELIZI AND MOST OF HIS 
NEIGHBORS NOW UTILIZE BIOTECH CROPS, AS THEY PREFER THE 
RELIABLE PRODUCTION AND ABILITY TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. 
RESPONDING TO ONE OF THE FREQUENT ARGUMENTS PUT FORWARD 
AGAINST BIOTECH SEEDS, BUTHELIZI SAID IT WAS WORTH THE 
INITIAL HIGHER COSTS TO PURCHASE BIOTECH SEED BECAUSE THE 
BIOTECH PLANTS REQUIRED LESS MANUAL LABOR, FERTILIZER, AND 
PESTICIDES, WHILE PROVIDING HIGHER YIELD CROPS.  AN INDIAN 
COTTON FARMER, JAYAPAL REDDY, ECHOED BUTHELIZI'S COMMENTS, 
AND INSISTED THAT PEOPLE IN THE WEST SHOULD "LET THE WISDOM 
OF INDIAN FARMERS DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO USE BIOTECH." 
 
¶3.  BINTONY KUTSAIRA, A MEMBER OF MALAWI'S PARLIAMENT, 
OUTLINED THE MACROECONOMIC EFFECTS BIOTECH CROPS WOULD HAVE 
FOR AFRICA.  HE POINTED OUT THAT 80 PERCENT OF AFRICA'S 
POPULATION IS ENGAGED IN FARMING, BUT CANNOT MANAGE TO 
PRODUCE ENOUGH FOOD TO FEED ITS PEOPLE, WHEREAS, LESS THAN 10 
PERCENT OF EUROPE'S POPULATION IS ENGAGED IN FARMING YET 
PRODUCES ENOUGH TO MEET ITS OWN DIETARY NEEDS AND EXPORT ON A 
COMMERCIAL SCALE (IN THE U.S. THE FIGURE IS LESS THAN 1 
PERCENT).  KUTSAIRA BLAMED AFRICA'S CHRONIC UNDERDEVELOPMENT 
IN PART ON THIS LACK OF EFFICIENCY IN THE AGRICULTURAL 
SECTOR.  AS LONG AS SO MANY OF AFRICA'S PEOPLE ARE WORKING ON 
SUBSISTENCE FARMS, EKING OUT A BASIC LIVING FROM ONE CRISIS 
TO ANOTHER, HE CONCLUDED, AFRICA WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO 
ADVANCE ECONOMICALLY. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  00504  01 OF 02  071112Z 
 
¶4.  REFLECTING THE PERVERSE MENTALITY OF "SUPPORT" FROM SOME 
IN THE WEST, ONE JESUIT CURIA REPRESENTATIVE SUGGESTED THAT 
INCREASED AGRICULTURAL EFFICIENCY FROM BIOTECH CROPS WOULD 
LEAD TO GREATER UNEMPLOYMENT IN AFRICA BY DISPLACING WORKERS 
FROM THE FARMS.  PROFESSOR DIRAN MAKINDE FROM THE UNIVERSITY 
OF VENDA IN SOUTH AFRICA, COUNTERED THAT THE LACK OF 
PRODUCTIVITY WAS LEADING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO DESERT THE 
FARMS FOR CITIES ANYWAY, DESPITE LIMITED PROSPECTS.  GREATER 
PRODUCTIVITY, HE NOTED, WOULD EVENTUALLY ALLOW MORE SKILLED 
WORKERS TO MOVE "FROM THE FIELD INTO THE FACTORY" TO PRODUCE 
GOODS WITH A HIGHER ADDED VALUE.  PROFESSOR MAKINDE 
UNDERSCORED HIS FRUSTRATION WITH ARGUMENTS THAT EFFECTIVELY 
SAID AFRICA SHOULD REMAIN TRAPPED IN A CHRONIC UNDERDEVELOPED 
STATE. 
 
--------------- 
HEALTH BENEFITS 
--------------- 
 
¶5.  PANEL MEMBERS ALSO EMPHASIZED POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS 
THAT BIOTECH CROPS WOULD BRING TO AFRICA, NOTING THAT BIOTECH 
FOODS COULD HELP SECURE A CONSISTENT, NUTRITIONAL DIET TO 
HELP IN THE STRUGGLES AGAINST AIDS, MALARIA AND TUBERCULOSIS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ4683 
 
PAGE 01        VATICA  00504  02 OF 02  071113Z 
ACTION EB-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    AGRE-00  AID-00   CEA-01   CIAE-00 
      COME-00  CTME-00  USNW-00  DODE-00  ITCE-00  SRPP-00  EXME-00 
      EUR-00   E-00     UTED-00  VC-00    FRB-00   HHS-01   H-01 
      TEDE-00  INR-00   ITC-01   LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00   AC-01 
      NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OES-00   OMB-01   OPIC-01  ACE-00   SP-00 
      SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  EPAE-00  ECA-00 
      DRL-01   G-00     SAS-00     /009W 
                  ------------------3291BC  071113Z /38 
R 071029Z FEB 03 
FM AMEMBASSY VATICAN 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 VATICAN 000504 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EB (CEKUTA), EUR/WE, AF/S, AF/E 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR EAID ETRD TBIO EAID ETRD TBIO VT VTEAGR
SUBJECT: AFRICA BIOTECH EXPERTS TELL HOLY SEE OFFICIALS: 
"LET US FEED OUR PEOPLE" 
 
 MP KUTSAIRA POINTED OUT THAT THAT WHILE EUROPEANS HAD THE 
LUXURY OF DEBATING THE PROS AND CONS OF BIOTECH CROPS, 
AFRICANS DID NOT.  HE STRESSED THAT BIOTECH CROPS NEEDED TO 
BE UTILIZED NOW BY AFRICA IN ORDER TO MEET THE DIETARY NEEDS 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        VATICA  00504  02 OF 02  071113Z 
OF AFRICANS.  THE FARMER,BUTHELIZI, EXPLAINED HOW BIOTECH 
CROPS HAVE LED HIM TO USE FEWER PESTICIDES, SO THAT HE AND 
HIS EMPLOYEES -- AS WELL AS CONSUMERS -- BENEFIT FROM LESS 
EXPOSURE TO THE CHEMICALS.  PROFESSOR MAKINDE CONCLUDED THAT 
AFRICA COULD NOT AFFORD TO MISS OUT ON BIOTECH AS IT HAD 
MISSED THE FIRST 'GREEN REVOLUTION.' 
 
--------------------------------- 
GETTING FACTS STRAIGHT ON BIOTECH 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  ALL PANEL MEMBERS AGREED THAT AFRICA AND THE WEST HAVE TO 
GET THEIR FACTS STRAIGHT ON BIOTECH.  MP KUTSAIRA OBSERVED 
THAT AFRICANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THAT FOOD AID IS 
NOT THE LONG TERM SOLUTION; SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS.  PROFESSOR 
L.E. MUMBA OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA, SAID THAT AFRICA HAS 
TO DEVELOP ITS CAPACITY IN BIOTECH RESEARCH, BIOTECH 
MARKETING, AND IN PREDICTING AND ADAPTING TO WEATHER BEFORE 
IT CAN BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT.  PROFESSOR JAMES OCHANDA OF 
THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF 
CLARIFYING THE INFORMATION ABOUT BIOTECH FOODS CIRCULATING IN 
AFRICA, ADDING THAT TOO MUCH MISINFORMATION IS BEING SPREAD, 
WHICH IS GENERATING SIGNIFICANT CONFUSION.  PROFESSOR JOCELYN 
WEBSTER, A SOUTH AFRICAN AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AFRICABIO, 
POINTED OUT THAT EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL NGOS AND AGRICULTURAL 
LOBBIES HAVE BEEN INFLUENCING AFRICANS FOR YEARS WITH 
INCOMPLETE OR FALSE INFORMATION.  SHE RELATED A PERSONAL 
EXPERIENCE TRYING TO SELL SOUTH AFRICAN BT FEEDCORN TO A 
NAMIBIAN CATTLE OPERATION.  THE NAMIBIANS REFUSED IT BECAUSE 
THEIR EUROPEAN END-USERS HAD SAID THEY WOULD NOT RISK 
IMPORTING BT-FED BEEF GIVEN THE CURRENT ANTI-BIOTECH CLIMATE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        VATICA  00504  02 OF 02  071113Z 
IN EUROPE.  RESPONDING TO THE OFT HEARD ARGUMENT THAT THERE 
WAS NO NEED FOR BIOTECH FOODS BECAUSE THERE IS ENOUGH FOOD IN 
THE WORLD ALREADY, PROFESSOR OCHANDA SAID THAT THE WORLD 
NEEDED TO ACCEPT THAT THE REDISTRIBUTION OF FOOD WAS NOT 
WORKING.  MOST FOOD IS CONSUMED WHERE IT IS GROWN AND 
REDISTRIBUTION IS MORE OF A BAND-AID THAN A SOLUTION FOR THE 
RECURRING CRISES IN AFRICA.  HE LIKENED BIOTECH TO THE KEY 
THAT WOULD FREE AFRICA FROM THE RECURRING CYCLES OF FEAST OR 
FAMINE.  BUTHELIZI SAID THAT THE WORLD, EUROPE IN PARTICULAR, 
NEEDED TO LET AFRICANS USE THEIR OWN JUDGMENT TO DETERMINE 
HOW BEST "TO FEED OUR PEOPLE." 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7.  BASED ON OUR DISCUSSIONS AFTER THE CONFERENCE, HOLY SEE 
PARTICIPANTS APPEARED TO BE OPEN TO THE AFRICANS' ARGUMENTS 
AND WELCOMED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR "THE OTHER SIDE OF THE 
STORY."  WE NOTE THAT BOTH THE JESUITS -- WHO HAVE BEEN THE 
SOURCE OF CONSIDERABLE PROBLEMS IN ZAMBIA -- AND CARITAS 
EUROPE HAVE PUBLISHED POSITION PAPERS OPPOSED TO 
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AFRICA.  THIS MEETING EXPOSED THEIR HEAD 
OFFICES TO THE "GOOD NEWS" ON AG-BIOTECH AND ITS POTENTIAL TO 
HELP COMMUNITIES IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, AND HOPEFULLY WILL 
FOSTER A REASSESSMENT THAT COULD EVENTUALLY MAKE ITS WAY TO 
THE FIELD.  THE MESSAGE THEY HEARD FROM THE AFRICANS AND 
ASIANS WAS CONSISTENT AND CLEAR:  THEY WANT DEVELOPING 
COUNTRIES TO BE ABLE TO DECIDE WHAT IS IN THEIR OWN BEST 
INTEREST AND THEY WANT AN END TO DESTRUCTIVE OUTSIDE 
INFLUENCES. THEY ALSO MADE A STRONG BID FOR MORE ASSISTANCE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        VATICA  00504  02 OF 02  071113Z 
IN DEVELOPING THEIR CAPACITY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. 
WITH 90 PERCENT OF AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS DESTINED FOR 
EUROPE, A RECURRING THEME WAS FOR EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS TO 
STOP BLOCKING BIOTECH ADVANCEMENTS BY KEEPING THEIR MARKETS 
CLOSED TO BIOTECH PRODUCTS.  TO THE AFRICAN PANELISTS, 
EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS ARE SEEN AS PREVENTING ECONOMIC 
ADVANCEMENT IN AFRICA BY THREATENING TO KEEP AFRICAN BIOTECH 
PRODUCTS OUT OF THE EUROPEAN MARKET. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
> 
 

 2003VATICA00504 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED