The National Biosafety Authority plans to hold a series of public engagement with various stakeholders on whether cultivation and importation of Genetically Modified maize variety should be allowed into Kenya.
In a statement, National Biosafety Authority says the public participation forums will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday next week in Kakamega, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia and Machakos counties.
During the forums, National Biosafety Authority will be seeking your view on the environmental impact on the release or open field cultivation of GMO maize could have on you.
This follows an 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.
National Biosafety Authority, Acting Director of Biosafety Research and Compliance, Josphat Muchiri, says: “It is important to note that once we receive those 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.”
He says public participation forums will also be a platform to address issues that members of the public have about GMOs and any other issue.
“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,” says Muchiri.