The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) enacted in February 2009 is expected to provide legal framework to allow the safe cultivation of genetically modified crops in the country.
Confined field trials currently underway, will by the end of the year determine whether genetically engineered cotton can be adopted commercially in Kenya.
Genetic modification of food involves insertion of genes from one crop to another in order to transfer certain desired aspects. Such aspects include ability to withstand harsh conditions, fast maturity and resistance to disease.
In Kenya three genetically modified crops including pest resistant cotton or BT cotton, BT maize and cassava were identified for trials in confined areas.
At Ahiti in Mwea, Kirinyaga district, genetically modified cotton from the US is being tested. The crop is surrounded by rows of conventional or ordinary cotton, which serves as a sink to trap any impurities or pollen from the modified cotton.
After the cotton being tested matures, some of it is buried in the soil to test its effect on soil organisms with the results of the risk assessment expected in December.
Results of investigations into GM food will inform decision by the National Biosafety Authority on what biotechnology products to allow in the country.
The tests are on all biotechnology products, and not just those that are genetically modified.
controlled environment
At the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, green houses have been established to enable experiments in controlled environment.
Access to the laboratories is restricted, and screening is mandatory, to lock out impurities. Inside the green house, genetically modified cotton is growing in the controlled area, and results from the scientists will establish whether it will eventually be acceptable for growing in Kenya.
The facility is known as a biosafety level 2 green house and allows low risk materials. There are four levels, with level four reserved for materials that may pose high risk to the environment.
This facility, the first in Kenya, is one of the projects initiated by Bio safe train, a program whose mandate is to build capacity and infrastructure in biosafety..
The advanced green house, established at a cost of 3 million shillings is part of infrastructural requirements in the sensitive experiments involving biotechnology. GMOs have been a hot subject mainly because of misinformation that was put out in the public domain.
Should all conditions be found satisfactory, then the field trials will move to the commercialization stage, meaning farmers will be allowed to grow GM cotton on their farms.
This would put Kenya in the same rank with other countries such as Burkina Faso which have embraced commercialization of cotton.
Local cotton is prone to African ball worm, which greatly reduces yields while herbicides for spraying are ineffective as they kill non-targeted insects. Local cotton also takes 6 months to mature, unlike BT cotton, which takes 7 months.
the National Biosafety Authority was launched in a bid to conduct business in the area of biotechnology in a transparent manner with its work enforceable by the Biosafety Law.
Besides training of personnel to handle the transition, stakeholders in the industry have also put in place infrastructure, to ensure that Genetically Modified Foods will pass the test of safety to both human beings and environment.
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