Four court cases have blocked the release of 11 tonnes of genetically modified maize seeds that were to be made available to farmers this planting season [in Kenya and Tanzania].
The BT maize seeds had been planned for release to farmers by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) in the months of March and April.
Developed by KALRO in its laboratories, the maize seeds that were to be availed at a subsidised fee had been undergoing testing in confined field trials in the country for years.
The petitioners are challenging the constitutionality of the Cabinet decision to remove the ban in October last year without public participation as required by law.
…
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya says elected leaders in the country are ‘‘seriously aggrieved’’ because they were not consulted before this ‘‘monumental decision’’ was made by the government.
…
[The National Biosafety Authority, or] NBA says the ban has hurt research in biotech in the country, with universities and research institutes losing funding worth millions of shillings.‘‘You cannot be in research forever. No one wants to fund research that will not find its way into application. Some students were hesitant to take up the course after the ban on biotech products,’’ says [CEO Roy] Mugiira.
