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As African governments ponder the fate of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), prominent leaders across the continent have openly expressed support for the technology. From Ethiopia to South Africa, and points in between, a cross section of leaders — both serving and former — have agreed that…

Kenya has published science-based guidelines to facilitate the development of gene-edited research and products, which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. “Genome editing technology has been identified as a potential new option to augment existing interventions in pursuance of achieving the African Union Agenda 2063 and it is…

Subjecting Kenya’s gene-edited crops to the same regulations as those developed through genetic modification could unnecessarily slow their release to farmers and consumers, warned the director of the East Africa Hub of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Leena Tripathi said edited crops with no foreign gene added should…

Though several African countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia, are making tremendous strides in their quest to develop and commercialize genetically modified crops, it’s not the same story in Uganda. Despite very promising initial successes, Ugandan scientists in the East African country have struggled to progress their GM crop research…

Whether it is ugali, a popular dish prepared from maize flour and often accompanied by meat, vegetables and pulses, or porridge, the staple of the Kenyan diet is maize. Nothing goes to waste from the harvest, as the crop’s by-products are used as livestock and poultry feed. But experts say this critical…

This month marked one year since the COVID-19 pandemic turned life upside down around the world. The anniversary wasn’t exactly a celebratory milestone, but it has prompted many of us to reflect deeply on the events — and lack thereof — of the past 12 months. The one-year mark also…

Impressed by the high yields realized in open field trials, Kenyan farmers are urging their government to speed up the process of allowing them to access genetically modified Bt maize. “I have seen today that when I will be able to plant Bt maize, it will improve my yields and…

The advent of climate change, coupled with new plant pests and diseases, has worsened the plight of Ghanaian farmers, relegating them to remain in poverty as their crop yields and incomes plunge. Modern, climate-smart agricultural technologies, such as genetically modified crops (GMOs), can help combat these threats. However, scare-mongering and…

In October 2017, I took a trip to Burkina Faso from Accra, Ghana — a journey that lasted a little over an hour by flight. As a reporter who writes extensively about agricultural biotechnology in Africa, it felt quite shameful that I hadn’t visited that country to personally understand what…