GMOs are not bad said the Minister

The Minister for higher education, science and technology last week said that genetically modified organisms (GMO) will help to ratify agricultural issues that cause losses to farmers.

Prof Margaret Kamara said that GMOs will help to maximize production of agriculture, protect the environment and improve human welfare that is diminished by the African plaques such as drought, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

Prof Kamara added that it is important for Kenyan scientists to conform the safety of the GMO to justify them to gain public confidence.

” It is important for the Kenyans to have a clear understanding of what they will be using. They have the right to information, GMO products should be labeled efficiently. Lack of knowledge will kill the GMO debate” Prof Kamara said.

The National Bio-safety Authority (NBA) chairperson, Prof Miriam Kinyua, said that scientist would remain competed to what is right based on science and technology.

“We want to come out with a result that will realize our goal; to be able to feed our country and increase income generation,” said Prof Kinyua.

Ms Kinyua added that though the application deadline for commercialization had passed, the NBA is still waiting for applications from either the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) or the Monsanto Biotechnology Company that pre tested the GMO products to be used in Kenya.

“Once we get the applications, then we will decide the suitable supplier. We do not want a foreigner operating solely, in case of anything, they may flee and yet someone must be held accountable,” added Prof Kinyua.

KARI later confirmed that they would be sending their application to the NBA by September, 30 2012.

Prof Kinyanjui said that it is only after 90 days of receiving the application and approving it, that the supplier will be able to start distribution to farmers.

“Once they apply we will check if the tested event is the same as the one they want to supply to farmers. We may approve before the 90 days but regulations say we wait,” concluded Prof Kinyanjui.