Kenyan Lawmakers on an Agricultural Biotechnology Fact Finding Mission to South Africa

Describes a recent trip to South Africa by Kenyan lawmakers to learn how the country is applying modern agricultural biotechnology in the alleviation of poverty.

June 21, 2006 (FPRC) -- Kenyan Lawmakers on an Agricultural Biotechnology Fact Finding Mission to South Africa

Here is the latest blog entry by James Wachai in which he describes a recent visit to South Africa by Kenyan lawmakers to learn how the country is applying modern agricultural biotechnology to alleviate poverty.

A group of Kenyan lawmakers have visited South Africa to learn how the country is applying modern agricultural biotechnology to enhance food security.

The lawmakers visited fields currently under genetically modified crops such as cotton and maize, where they listened to testimonies from farmers and agricultural officers on the importance of modern crop biotechnology.

After the visit, the lawmakers vowed to fast-track the stalled Kenya Biosafety Bill, which, among other things, will expedite the process of assimilating genetically modified crops into Kenya’s agriculture.

“Biotechnology offers the best possible attack on production problems like the striga weed, cassava mosaic virus and cotton bollworms,” noted Prof. Ayiecho Olweny, one of the lawmakers who took part in the trip.

Another lawmaker, Alfred Nderitu, observed that the best way to achieve food security will be through widespread adoption of biotechnology.

Mr. Nderitu said Kenyans should not be denied GM products because of lack of appropriate legislation.

The Executive Director, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), welcomed the visit and appealed to the lawmakers to hasten the enactment of necessary laws to regulate genetically modified crops.

"We should not just be recipients but innovators. However, we are not going to be innovators in a vacuum. We need the necessary legislation. We risk losing the technology altogether. The technology may be rendered obsolete by the time it is approved for adoption if it is delayed for too long," Said Dr. Karembu.

About Gmo Africa
Gmo Africa is a blog and news on the benefits of genetically modified food in Africa and the rest of the world.

Contact:

James Wachai
E-mail: info@gmoafrica.org
Tel : (316) 260-9429
Url: http://www.gmoafrica.org.
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For more information contact James Wachai of Gmo Africa  (http://www.gmoafrica.org )
316 -260-9429

Keywords: biotechnology, genetically modified food, crop biotechnology

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