Kenya approves law to allow new GM crops

Kenya has become the fourth country in Africa to open up to genetically modified (GM) crops after approving laws to allow their production and importation.

East Africa’s leading economy follows South Africa, a leader in the continent on biotechnology and a major exporter of GM maize, as well as Egypt and Burkina Faso, but it faces growing resistance from lobbyists against the move.

Following a Legal Notice given on June 22 by acting Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Hellen Sambili the laws came into effect on July 1, ending restrictions on GM maize and other various products in the country.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 1 of the Biosafety Act, 2009, the Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology appoints the first (of) July, 2011, as the date on which the act shall come into operation,” said the Legal Notice.

Kenya’s state-run National Biosafety Authority last week said it was in the process of creating a legal framework to approve importation of GM maize into the country to mitigate a looming shortage.

The law will open the Kenyan market, which faces frequent grain deficits, to major suppliers such as South Africa whose exports were affected by the previous ban.

The Kenyan government is anticipating a shortfall in the supply of maize of 14.8-million 90-kg bags in the 2011/12 season due to drought.

But lobby groups opposed to gene alteration, noting health concerns such as development of mutations and allergic reactions in humans, said they plan to oppose the law.

Already anti-GM groups have started demonstrating in the capital, opposing the laws allowing GM into the country.

The Legal Notice added that it was illegal to conduct any activity involving GM organisms without the written approval of the National Safety Authority.

“Genetically Modified Organism means any organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use ofmodern biotechnology techniques,” the Act said in part.

Other African economies are conducting research on GM crops such as maize, rice and wheat that could prove to be the first step towards adoption including Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mali, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana.

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Posted by admin on July 15, 2011. Filed under Lead Stories, Policy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry