US embassy cable - 04LILONGWE156

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LILONGWE 000156 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EB/TPP/ABT/BTT (DMalac and Jbobo) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, TBIO, TSPL, ETRD, SENV, EAGR, MI, Agriculture, Environment, Development, Economic 
SUBJECT: BIOTECH OUTREACH: MALAWI REQUEST 
 
REF: State 15050 
 
1.  Summary.  In 2002 Malawi enacted a Biosafety Act, 
which created a framework for regulating biotechnology. 
Necessary regulatory structures and guidelines have not 
followed, however, and implementation remains weak.  The 
arrival of USG food aid in 2002 and 2003 raised safety 
and environmental concerns among some members of the 
public, the NGO community, and some in Government.  Given 
Malawi's recurrent food crises, including another 
possible shortage this year, advancing USG policy on 
biotech is a Mission priority. Post therefore requests 
$48,000 in funding for an outreach program. End summary. 
 
2.  Goals: 
 
     The Mission outreach program targets two groups: 
the policy makers and the consumers.  The Public Affairs 
Section has already held several lectures and an AFNET on 
biotech issues, and the Malawi public has expressed 
interest in learning more.  Malawian scientists are 
largely pro-biotech and understand the scientific issues. 
Policy makers need educating, however, and so does the 
public.  Rumors of infertility and illness due to biotech 
maize persist.  There have also been reports in the press 
that biotech maize is unsafe to eat and is brought to 
Malawi from the U.S. as a dumping ground, and that 
biotech maize is only eaten by cattle in the US. 
 
3.  PAS has already started a partnership with the Malawi 
Human Rights Youth Network (MHRYN), targeting civil 
society with the message that biotech maize is safe to 
eat.  MHRYN is well-placed to reach out to NGOs and other 
human rights groups. Together, we have mounted a national 
civic education awareness campaign for civil society 
organizations, government officials, agriculture 
extension workers, farmers and consumers of biotech 
maize, but lack funding to reach a broad audience.  For 
this message to be best delivered, a baseline survey of 
beliefs and concerns would help focus our outreach 
strategy. 
 
4.  Malawi also needs information on biotech at the 
technical and policy levels.  Policy makers need to 
develop implementation tools for the biotech policy. 
Malawi scientists must decide what the biotech investment 
priorities are so that the biotech agenda can be driven 
by Malawians.  Malawi policy makers need to understand 
that biotech is a tool for fighting hunger.  Biotech food 
must have appropriate regulations, needs to be grown in 
an environmentally safe manner, and should not endanger 
Malawi's trading status with other countries. 
 
5.  Audiences and strategies: 
 
     The Public Affairs Section and the committee chaired 
by MHRYN propose a multi-faceted public diplomacy 
campaign targeting a variety of audiences. 
 
     a)   Policy makers and academics: Invite an U.S. Speaker 
        and Malawian scientists to spend one week with the 
        appropriate Ministry of Agriculture officials to develop 
        guidelines and structures for the biotech policy. 
        Utilize examples of approved biotech legislation and 
        develop a framework for implementing existing 
        legislation.  The U.S. Speaker would also be invited to 
        conduct a workshop aimed at Ministry of Agriculture and 
        Ministry of Economic Planning officials and other 
        appropriate government officials and academics (two days) 
        to consider Malawi's biotech investment strategies. To 
        follow up these meetings, the Public Affairs Section 
        would continue with roundtable discussions and academic 
        lectures with Malawian scientists to further develop 
        biotech strategies. 
     b)   Consumers: Visit the most populated districts with a 
        local biotech expert, train local NGOS to communicate 
        with the villagers, and supply pamphlets and 
        informational material in the local language explaining 
        the safety of biotech maize.  Pamphlets would be in 
        simple language but would explain the basics of biotech. 
        Design radio and television messages - advertisements and 
        longer shows/discussion - to widely disseminate the 
        biotech message (i.e. that biotech maize is safe to eat). 
        Advertisements would be in local languages discussing the 
        safety of biotech maize.  Longer discussions would focus 
        on a variety of topics, including the uses of biotech, 
        biotech as a tool for fighting hunger, biotech and the 
        environment, and biotech and trade.  The key to this 
        strategy is that Malawian NGOs and experts will help 
        disseminate the message, not just U.S. officials 
        discussing U.S. policy. 
 
6. Budget: 
 
     Total budget requested:  $48,000 
     Breakdown: 
     U.S. Speaker and workshops for policy makers: 
     $19,000: 
          $6,000 for U.S. Speaker (10 days) 
          $10,000 in workshop costs (including one week 
          with Ministry of Agriculture):  room rental, 
          transport and lodging for participants ($56/day 
          for seven days for 20 participants plus room 
          rental and transport) 
          $2,000 for printed materials 
          $1,000 for room rental and related expenses for 
          future round table discussions 
 
     NGO training:  $15,000: 
 
          $8,000 travel and accommodation 
               car hire: $3,200 
               fuel: $1,800 
               Accommodation, meals and expert fees: 
               $3,000 
          $6,000 brochures and pamphlets: 
               design: $1,500 
               printing:$4,500 
          $1,000 poster: design and printing 
 
     Radio and television messages: $9,000 
 
          $2,000 development of adverts 
          $5,000 airtime on radio and television 
          $1,000 newspaper adverts 
          $1,000 expert fees for radio/TV shows 
 
     Baseline survey:  $5,000 
          To conduct a survey of beliefs and 
          misinformation about biotech at the consumer 
          level. 
               $3,500:  transport and accommodation 
               $1,000:  fees for survey workers 
               $ 500:   administration costs, stationery 
 
Browning