May 13, 2017

Kenya to commercialise biotech corn by 2019

In two years' time, Kenya expects to commercialise biotech corn, which is resistant to both drought and the stem borer pest. researchers said on Thursday, May 11, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

Researchers from the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) Kenya, led by Murenga Mwimali, said they had successfully completed the first planting season for transgenic corn under the Confined Field Trials (CFTs), the Chinese news agency Xinhua reported.

"The results that we have achieved are very positive and therefore Kenya is on course to make the seeds available to farmers in 2019", Mwimali was quoted as saying during a field trip to the Kenya Livestock and Agriculture (KALRO) site in Kitale.

The WEMA project is a public-private partnership conducted jointly by several partners including KALRO, African Agricultural Technology Foundation, and International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center.

Scientists are currently planting the second season under the CFTs to determine the efficiency of the genetically modified (GM) corn against the stem borer pest, according to the Xinhua report.

Mwimali, who is also a corn breeder at KALRO, said that if the Bt corn is fully adopted by the Kenyan farmers, it could save Kenya US$80 million annually by reducing crop losses.

In 2012, Kenya banned the importation of GM food imports into the country.