KUBICO depoliticise government move to lift ban on GMO foods
The Kenya University Biotechnology Consortium (KUBICO) has today come out to depoliticise the debate on the government’s move to lift the ban on the importation of genetically modified foods (GMO).
Speaking to the media on the issue, the Secretary- General of KUBICO DR. Richard Ochieng stated that there are four regulations set in place that provide strict guidelines, supervision and surveillance that allow the consumer to make informed choices under the biosafety act of 2009.
“All the regulations are in force and the Gm materials that has been made locally followed all the steps starting from lab research, confined field trial and green house, national performance trials and environmental release” he stated.
“Labeling is done to ensure consumers have a choice on whether they want the GM food or not.” He added.
Maize has been at the centre of the debate, given that the flour prices in the country are not affordable in many homes, this is caused by the deficit of maize.
According to the research carried out by KUBICO, the deficit stands at 2 metric tons which translates to 20 million bags per years.
Additionally, the research states that countries that imports GMO maize at high levels appear to reduce the prices for the consumer.
“Effect of ban on GMO raw material, production and consumer price in Kenya (Ochieng & Oduor ,2017). Ban on GMO imports affected production, jobs and raised consumer food prices,” the report indicates
In 2015 small scale farmer took the Kenya government to court following the 2012 ban on genetically modified foods that was on put in place on the premise of health concerns by the them public Health minister Beth Mugo following. Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) concern on the potential cancerous effects of consumption of GM crops.
However, the chairman of the KUBICO Professor Richard Oduor has said that Kenyans have been consuming GMO food since 1996 to date and there has not been a cause for alarm saying we are going to loss on the benefits of embracing bio technology.
“At this point in time this decision needs to go into specific things in terms of how do we ensure our farmers have the right seeds, that they planting at the right time, how do we ensure there is market for gm products that they will generate,” he said.
“Even now farmers are buying hybrid seeds, I don’t know why it is becoming trendy to talk about is it safe or is not a technology that has been there for almost forty years,” he added.
The scientists are calling upon everyone to help in sorting the issue of high food prices and achieve food security through the embrace of bio technology.
