Biotech maize heralds a new future

Kenya aims to become a middle-income, rapidly industrialising nation by 2030, lifting its citizens out of poverty and affording them a quality of life comparable to richer nations.

That is the bold ambition set out by the Government in its Vision 2030 strategy. The government rightly acknowledges that Kenya will not achieve this goal unless it fully embraces the latest breakthroughs in science, technology and engineering that can propel the country forward.

The Government’s second medium term plan of Vision 2030, outlines the role modern agriculture must play in Kenya’s development — boosting the incomes of rural farmers and providing affordable food.

A flagship project of the plan is ensuring that Kenya’s farmers have access to cutting edge biotechnologies, such as genetically modified varieties of crops. Allowing Kenya’s farmers to commercialise the crops promises to increase their income, reduce the need for pesticides that are harmful to the environment and human health, and improve crop yields.

The results are already starting to show. Last month, the National Biosafety Authority published a joint application by Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Organisation and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation seeking approval for cultivation of the biotech maize that is resistant to the stem borer insect pests that routinely cause millions of shillings worth of damage to farmers’ crops each year.

This was the first application to the biosafety authority seeking approval for cultivation of a biotech crop — a historic moment for Kenya.

The maize variety was developed through the Water Efficient Maize for Africa project, a public-private partnership of national agricultural research organisations of several African states, international research bodies and and leading firms in biotechnology.

The maize, has been undergoing confined field trials at the Kiboko Research Station in Makueni County for the past five years and preliminary results from the trials show that the maize is resistant to the stem borer pest and it has the potential to yield are 3.7 tonnes per hectare higher than those from the best commercial hybrid seeds currently in the market.

Since the law requires public participation on matters governing commercialisation of biotech crops and products, the biosafety authority has invited members of the public to submit their comments as part of the decision making and approval process.

Biotech maize could have big ramifications for Kenya.

The economic, social and environmental benefits are potentially huge, and the technology could be a major stimulus of economic growth.

It is this access to, and application of, technology that has put South Africa ahead of all other countries in the region in maize production, not only making it self-sufficient but also the leading exporter of maize to other African countries.

As Taiwan and South Korea also demonstrate: countries that make use of science and technology lift millions of people out of poverty. Those that don’t remain stuck in the past.

Dr Denis Tumwesigye Kyetere is the Executive Director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation