Various stakeholders are on Monday and Tuesday expected to share their thoughts on the on BT maize variety before it is placed in the market for farmers’ use.
The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) will conduct the public engagement with various stakeholders on the new maize variety on Monday in Kakamega, Uasin Gishu and Machakos Counties.
The Authority will then head to Trans Nzoia County on Tuesday for similar engagement with farmers and other stakeholders.
National Biosafety Authority Acting Director of Biosafety Research and Compliance, Josphat Muchiri said all is set for the exercise in the listed counties and more forums will come.
“We value the input of various stakeholders and that is why we are moving across the Country to listen to them including our farmers,” said Mr Muchiri.
In Kakamega County, the forum will be at regional Commissioner’s office , Magharibi Hall starting at 9am, in Machakos the engagement will be at Machakos Agricultural College while in Uasin Gishu, the exercise will be at AMS opposite University of Eldoret.
“We will be here to listen to our stakeholders and therefore call upon them to turn up in large numbers and share their crucial views,” said Mr Muchiri.
Muchiri will be in Machakos to preside over the exercise , Director Legal Service Mr Moses Sande will be in Kakamega while acting chief executive officer Mr Nehemiah Ngetich will be in Uasin Gishu.
The decision to conduct public engagements is in line with the provisions of the Biosafety Act, 2009 Section 19(4) and Regulation 12(3)(a) of the Biosafety (Environmental Release) Regulations, 2011, which requires the Authority to notify the public on receiving an application for environmental release or open field cultivation, and placing on the market of genetically modified products.
The Authority is mandated to exercise supervision and control over the development, transfer, handling and use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) with a view to ensuring safety to human and animal health as well as the provision of adequate level of protection to the environment.
The application for placement on the market of genetically modified maize (Zea mays) commonly known as Bt maize (MON 89034) was made by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) last month.
The BT Maize are expected to address the challenges of the fall armyworms and maize stem borers , which are the two major pests of maize in Kenya and the region.
“The Authority is mandated among others to promote awareness and education among the general public in matters relating to biosafety, a function that it has taken seriously through various activities across the Country,” said Mr. Muchiri.
He went on: “ This is also to let Kenyans know that the Authority has an obligation to undertake public participation and that is the reason the information on the Bt maize was placed in two widely circulated newspapers, the weekly Kenya Gazette and NBA’s website. This is the initial public consultation to inform the Authority in the biosafety approval request.”
Besides the publication in the print media, the Authority is concurrently engaging on other channels of communication and public awareness including social media platforms.
“These initiatives are meant to educate the public on GMOs, safety assessment procedures and allow interactive sessions with members of the public. It’s further underscored that before the commercialization of the Bt maize, other regulatory approvals including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and National Performance Trials will be required and the public will further be engaged at those stages,” added Muchiri.
The Authority affirmed to Kenyans it shall continue to discharge its mandate of ensuring safety of human, animal health and protection of the environment in accordance with the Biosafety Act.
As public participation exercise continues, NBA is also consulting with agencies like the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, National Environment Management Authority, the public health section and independent experts.
Muchiri said even though Kalro are behind the research, they cannot take the maize to farmers until NBA approves it.
“It is important to note that once we receive those three outputs from experts, government agencies and the public, we will pick all the issues raised and engage the applicant to first address them before we make a final decision,” added Mr. Muchiri.
Muchiri assured Kenyans that there is a well-established legal, regulatory and institutional framework which provides for streamlined processes for persons dealing in GMOs and their derived products in the Country.
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