Customs is strengthening its control over genetically modified organisms.

Customs plays a central role in controlling products entering Senegalese territory, particularly imported foodstuffs. To better address the challenges related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), its agents receive training in biosecurity, modern biotechnologies, and methods for detecting products derived from these technologies.

For Professor Alioune Ndiaye, Executive Director of the National Biosafety Authority, this training addresses an important need for capacity building among Customs officers.

"Customs plays an extremely important role in properly controlling the entry of products at the borders," he explains.

Since Senegal imports a significant quantity of agricultural food products, customs officers, according to him, constitute a first line of control. Their mission includes verifying the nature of imported products and determining whether they are likely to have an impact on human or animal health, or on the environment.

The training aims in particular to familiarize agents with the tools to identify products likely to contain GMOs.

According to Professor Alioune Ndiaye, several methods can be used. Agents can initially use available information on the products, particularly their barcodes. In case of suspicion, they can also use rapid tests to obtain an initial indication.

"It's just like pregnancy tests. Right away, they can do the test and say: yes, it's a GMO or no," explains the executive director of the National Biosafety Authority.

When more in-depth analysis is required, samples can be taken and sent to a specialized laboratory. These analyses then allow for a more precise identification of the genetic modification and the exact genetic construct present in the product.

Indeed, certain imported products may require special attention. Professor Alioune Ndiaye cites the case of maize, of which Senegal imports significant quantities from GMO-producing countries.

“When you take the example of Senegal, we import a lot of corn. And this corn comes from many countries that are champions in the production of GMOs. You have Brazil, you have Argentina, you have other countries,” he points out.

According to him, corn is therefore one of the products that can be targeted in the context of controls in order to determine whether imported shipments contain GMOs or not.

Customs on the front line at the borders

On the customs administration side, Lieutenant-Colonel Baba Dieye, head of the customs territory surveillance office at the Directorate of Customs Operations, insists on the strategic position of Customs in controlling cross-border flows.

"Customs is on the front line at the borders and mainly controls products entering or leaving the customs territory," he points out.

In this context, capacity building for agents appears necessary to enable them to identify shipments likely to contain GMOs and to verify whether these shipments have the necessary authorizations to enter Senegalese territory.

Lieutenant-Colonel Baba Dieye points out that GMOs are not systematically banned. However, they are subject to control due to the potential risks associated with them.

"GMOs are not necessarily banned, but they can be a source of danger. That's why they are controlled," he explains.

A collaboration between Customs and the National Biosafety Authority

This training reflects the desire to strengthen collaboration between the customs administration and the National Biosafety Authority. The objective is to enable border agents to better identify the products concerned and, when necessary, to request scientific expertise for more in-depth analyses.

For Lieutenant-Colonel Baba Dieye, this system should allow for better control of products likely to enter Senegalese territory and prevent them from being used without the required authorizations, particularly in agriculture or in the health sector.