"The risks are more related to the impact of unintended release into the environment," the SADC secretariat said in a statement this week.

"The risks include unintended gene flow to other crop varieties, plants, animals and macro-organisms," it added.

Nevertheless, the 17 scientists who conducted the study recommended that SADC countries consider using biotechnology as a tool to secure sufficient food and for sustainable development.

Some African countries facing food shortages, particularly in southern Africa, are so wary of gene-altered crops that they have refused GM food aid or have insisted that it be milled to prevent planting.

Zambia, where about three million people are desperately hungry, is the only country in the region that bans both non-milled and milled GM food aid.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has rejected gene-altered food aid due to concerns over long-term effects on health and fears that such grain could spread into local crops.

The scientists are to make further recommendations to the group's Council of Ministers in August on the handling of GM foods.

Regional food and agriculture ministers have already said they want to set up a special committee to advise their respective governments on the issue.

SADC estimated this week that more than 15.2 million people in the region would be in need of food aid by the end of March.

The six hardest-hit countries are Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Lesotho and Swaziland.

Last month, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called on the international community to help Africa out of its persistent state of hunger and poverty.

But he did not specifically mention the controversial issue of genetically-modified crops.