Why is South Africa Importing GMO Maize from the U.S.?

When they have Surplus

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Despite the El Niño drought, and South Africa experiencing a 23% reduction in its maize harvest, it still managed to produce enough to export its usual 2 million-ton quota to the SADC region. Nevertheless, the U.S. is set to export close to a million tons of GMO white maize to South Africa

Now, if South Africa has a surplus of maize to fulfill its export commitments to SADC countries affected more severely by the drought, and if the country’s GMO Act prohibits importing unlicensed GMO maize into the country — only permitting non-GM imports — why is South Africa bringing in nearly a million tons of GM white maize from the U.S.?

The answer may lie in a call I received three months ago from a contact in the intelligence community of one of the SADC countries. According to this source, since 2007, South African white farmers and the U.S. government have collaborated on a program to produce GM maize specifically for Zimbabwe. Even when Zimbabwe has had bumper harvests, South African officials reportedly visit Harare to persuade the government to continue purchasing GMO maize from South Africa. This is because an entire ecosystem of white farmers — who produce about 1.5 million tons of maize annually — is sustained by Zimbabwe’s demand.