Alfayo Kayo is a 2019 Borlaug Fellow.

Alfayo Ombuya Kayo is a phytosanitary expert and a senior plant health inspector. He has ten years of experience in phytosanitary regulation, pest surveillance, pest risk analysis and certification of genetically modified plant materials and products.

Alfayo has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Maseno University and a master’s in crop protection from the University of Nairobi.

“A lot of myths about the safety of genetically engineered crops abound in Kenya and indeed many other African countries. Consumer organizations, environmentalists and non-governmental organizations have persistently raised fears in regard to food and environmental safety that are not based on solid scientific data,” he said. “I am interested in the GLFP because I want to be a part of the learning process and use what I learn to educate farmers and stakeholders on the costs and benefits of adopting genetically engineered crops. I am also looking to gather credible data that can be used to debunk myths.”