- Regulatory delays have kept three improved crop varieties out of Kenyan farms.
- Researchers warn that restrictions are raising production costs and weakening agricultural competitiveness.
- Kenya risks falling behind as more African countries embrace genetically modified crops.
Kenya has lost an estimated Ksh 20.4 billion over five years because regulatory delays have held up the approval of three advanced crop varieties, according to a recent study.
The varieties are insect-resistant maize, cotton and potatoes resistant to late blight. Scientists and researchers say the delay is keeping improved seed out of farmers’ hands. They warn that continued restrictions on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) threaten both agricultural productivity and national food security.
The cost does not stop at the farm gate. Neighbouring countries in the East African Community (EAC) do not face similar bans, so their producers can buy cheaper inputs such as ingredients for animal and chicken feed. As a result, eggs and milk cost far less to produce across the border than in Kenya. When commodities such as milk run short at home, consumers either pay more or go without.
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Researchers argue that GMO technology could ease much of this pressure. Crops bred to resist pests and diseases suffer fewer losses, give better yields and raise farmers’ incomes. For smallholders who lose part of every harvest to pests and blight, that difference can decide whether a season pays or not.
Even so, adoption remains contentious. Many Kenyans still worry about the safety of genetically modified foods and their possible effects on human health and the environment. These concerns have shaped the public debate and kept the policy question unresolved.
Meanwhile, the rest of the continent is moving. Eight African countries, among them Ethiopia, Ghana and Nigeria, are already growing GMO crops. Scientists say Kenya risks falling behind and losing its competitive edge if policy stagnation continues.
For now, farmers wait. The three crops at the centre of the dispute are ready for approval, yet the decision that would put them in the field has not come.
By reporter
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