With 86 percent of the country below the poverty line, the southern African nation of Zambia seems an unlikely candidate to face down the United States - and corporate giant Monsanto - over genetically modified seeds.

The policy dilemma confronting Zambia over whether or not to accept genetically-modified maize, offered as food aid by the United States, has thrown up urgent questions over the way and the extent to which the debate over the issue has been allowed in the country.