GMOs: When Africa Becomes the Laboratory for Genetic Experiments

Across Africa, lobbyists, philanthropists and businessmen are working to open up the continent to GMO food. They argue that GMOs can provide a miracle solution to two of Africa’s biggest problems: famine and malaria. The main promoters is Bill Gates, now the head of the most powerful philanthropic foundation in history. This film reveals how the Gates Foundation became the main funder of genetic experiments underway on the continent and investigates the possible repercussions of their actions. The Gates foundation is discreetly conducting research on cassava genes and on the genetic modification of mosquitoes to fight malaria. These kind of tests are banned in Europe because of their potential risks to health and the environment. So the trials are carried out in Africa instead. By financing the development of GMOs in Africa, a neoliberal model of development and corporate domination is being imposed on Africa, opening it up to the global agribusiness. This is the new world of philanthrocapitalism, where humanitarian aid has a stubborn aftertaste of business, famine programs are often a pretext to introduce GMOs and public investments can serve private interests… Director: Jean-Baptiste Renaud