By Zeddy Sambu
Farmers are protesting the introduction of a new law that will allow
mass production of genetically modified crops and animals.
The farmers want the Biosafety Bill, which is set for debate in
Parliament shelved until its impact on agricultural production costs is
assessed.
Despite detailed consultations that led to the publishing of the Bill,
the farmers say their views were largely ignored.

Industry experts say the Bio-safety law move will bring more
efficiency in agricultural production as a source of food and income
generation. The Bill, if enacted, will see the establishment of a Bio-safety
authority.

?It will give an internationally recognised Biosafety framework within
which to tap the enormous benefits of biotechnology, ? said Mr Simon
Gichuki, head of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute?s (Kari) bio
technology centre.

Biotech solutions lead to higher yields and improved crop resistance
to pests and diseases, enhancing food security.

According to Kari, diseases and abiotic factors such as drought, soil
pH and poor plant and animal genotypes hamper profitable agricultural
production in the country. Biotechnology programmes offer real opportunities
to overcome them.

Kenya is one of the eight demonstration countries implementing their
National Biosafety Frameworks (NBF) under a United Nations Environment
Programme fund.

Being one of the African countries with a high level of scientific
capacity in biotechnology, commercial use of the products that have already
been developed will be made possible by the new law.

The bill was approved last September by the cabinet together with a
Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy. Despite lack of a legal framework, Kenya
has in recent years applied an interim system for use and handling of
biotechnology products.

To date, five approvals for research and development and six others
for confined field-testing have been granted under the auspices of the Kenya
Agricultural Research Institute. Most investments in biotechnology in Kenya
have been in the field of agriculture.

The debate on agricultural biotechnology in many African countries pit
proponents who see it as a panacea to low yields against critics expressing
attendant human health and environmental concerns.

?The proponents point to the successes of the technology in theUSA
while the opponents look to the crises that have been witnessed in Europe,?
says Prof Patricia Kameri Mbote, an associate professor of law at the
University of Nairobi.

In Kenya, biotechnology development is taking place within the context
of policies governing agriculture, health, trade and environment. One big
obstacle, however, is conservative consumer preference especially in the
area of food.


[www.bdafrica.com]