Kenya's plan to begin cultivating GMO maize remains a pipe dream after state agency makes an about turn and stops the trials

Kenya will have to wait a bit longer before it can begin commercially cultivating genetically modified (GMO) maize after a plants agency declined to give State scientists the green light to proceed with the exercise in what seems like state agencies reading from different scripts and working to undermine the exercise.

National Biosafety Authority (NBA), the body responsible for regulating GMOs, had late last year written to the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) allowing them to go ahead with field trials for biotech maize after consulting with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis).

However, Kephis rejected Kalro’s request, saying they can only be allowed to conduct national performance trials (NPTs) with authorisation from the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema).

“We made a request to Kephis through a letter but they declined so the whole process has stopped there,” said a senior director of Kalro, according to a local business daily.

Kephis managing director Esther Kimani did not respond to calls but her communication office referred us to Kalro.

Kenya imposed a ban on GMO crops in November, 2012, citing danger to public health, a decision that locked out many countries, including South Africa, from exporting maize to the country.

NBA said last year the field trials for biotech maize and cotton were scheduled to start as soon as October 2017.

The Ministry of Health in 2016 said introduction of GMOs in Kenya remained bound by a decision of the Cabinet meeting that banned imports of biotech foods.

Kalro and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation had submitted the environmental impact report for the biotech crops last year seeking approval for field trials.

Nema allowed them to go on with the process before the agency made an about turn and stopped the exercise.

The trials, which were expected to take two years, were to be conducted nationwide at the Kephis confined fields and inspected by other government agencies.