| Ghana now has Biosafery law |
| April 3, 2012 |
Ghana now has Biosafery law Accra, Feb 18, GNA - The Biosafety Act, which has been delayed in Parliament for four years, has finally received Presidential Assent. The Law, emanating from the Biosafety Act, 831, 2011, will allow Ghana to apply biotechnology in food crop production, involving Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in food production. It will also ensure adequate level of production in the field of safe development transfer, handling and use of GMOs that are pharmaceuticals for human use, and which are the subject of any other enactment. The law will also ensure the establishment of transparent and predictable process, to review and make decisions on specified GMOs that were pharmaceutical for human use. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, Mr Ebenezer Adjietror, Principal Assistant Clerk in Charge of Table Office, Parliament, said the Bill delayed because of initial constitutional matters, which resulted in back and forth movement of the Bill till it was finally passed into law. The 28-page Act has nine arrangements of sections, which include Scope, Objectives and Establishment, Administration, Handling of Requests for Approvals, Reviews and Approvals, Technical Advisory Committee, Regulatory Agencies, Inspections, Finance and Miscellaneous. It also has five schedules, which include Conduct of Business and Affairs of the Board, Information Required in Applications for Contained or Confined Use, Information Required in Applications for Release, Importation and Placing on the Market, Risk Assessment and Regulatory Agencies. Under the new Biosafety law, a National Biosafety Authority will be established with the functions clearly spelt out and the composition of the governing body also spelt out. In West Africa, Burkina Faso is currently using biotechnology for farming particularly in cotton and vegetable production, while Togo, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Mali and South Africa were also applying the technology. Ghana, before the passage of the law was using an existing Legislative Instrument; CSIR Act 521 of 1996 as a template, since it had provisions for the conduct of research in general, and it was simply to extend this to the conduct of research on Genetically Modified Organisms. Professor Walter Sandow Alhassan, Project Coordinator on Strengthening Capacity for Safe Biotechnology Management in Sub-Sahara Africa (SABIMA) of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), told the GNA that the enactment of the law was the culmination of years of outreach activities and advocacy for biotechnology and Biosafety involving a cross-section of Ghanaians. They included the scientific community, media, farmer-based organizations, consumer associations, religious bodies and legislators supported by donor agents or their representatives. Prof. Alhassan, a former Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, said the passage of the law marked the determination of the Government and people of Ghana to meet the legal requirement for the safe application of modern biotechnology for socio-economic development, especially through agriculture. "It is the start of a long journey in the engagement of modern biotechnology to meet the challenges of agricultural production. It is the hope that the regulations and institutions will be put in place and supported adequately to facilitate the exploitation of the law," he said. Out of the 25 countries planting biotech crops, 15 are developing countries, and 10 are industrialised countries. Another 30 countries approved the importation of biotech products for food and feed use. Egypt, Burkina Faso, Bolivia, Brazil and Australia were the first five countries to commercialise their biotech crops in their countries, with the number of biotech crop farmers increasing from 1.3 million to 13.3 million in the 25 biotech crop countries between 1996 and 2008. Mr Eric Okore, Biosafety Focal Person at the Ministry of Environment Science and Technology, commended Government for the commitment shown in the passage of the law. He said the Ministry would put in place measures for the enforcement of the law. Professor Eric Quaye, Chairman of the National Biosafety Committee, told the GNA that the committee had "fought so hard to make this dream a reality, but the delay has put Ghana far behind the other countries, though it is worth the time". He said the Committee was waiting for the Ministry to constitute the National Biosafety Authority to begin work. The Biosafety Law, Prof. Quaye noted was needed to improve the safety of food, improve its yield and ensure its security; hence the law would ensure that the necessary measures were put in place to address food safety and its security. Dr Yaa Difie Osei, Member of the National Biosafety Committee, told the GNA that "the work has just begun and we will need all the stakeholders to make our dream come true". She explained that biotechnology could make a meaningful contribution to the challenges facing Africa Dr Osei explained that biotechnology was like any technological application that used biological systems, living organisms to make or modify products. "Traditional biotechnology has been in use for centuries and it involves fermentation used in the preparation bread, kenkey, and alcohol. Modern biotechnology is based on the developments in cellular and monocular biology that occurred in the second half of the 20th century. She noted that the GM technology did not only improve crop yield but also ensured insect resistance, which helped farmers to save substantial amount of money spent on pesticides, enhanced nutritional values and also increased the shelve life of produce. Dr Ibrahim D. Atokple, Principal Investigator for the Maruca-Resistant Cowpea Project of the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, said research institutions were ready to begin with the laboratory work and that "This is a long awaited dream come true". View article on Modern Ghana site |
| Other News and Announcements |
| Mark Lynas' Lecture to Oxford Farming Conference, 3 January 2013 |
| Posted: February 10, 2013 |
| Mark Lynas - a British author, journalist and environmental activist who for several years has promoted ant-GMO crusade worldwide. He has completely changed his mind and he has said sorry for misleading the world. He now believes that GM technology is a critical tool to reduce hunger and improve humanity. - "I want to start with some apologies. For the record, here and upfront, I apologise for having spent several years ripping up GM crops. I am also sorry that I helped to start the anti-GM movement back in the mid 1990s, and that I thereby assisted in demonising an important technological option which can be used to benefit the environment.
As an environmentalist, and someone who believes that everyone in this world has a right to a healthy and nutritious diet of their choosing, I could not have chosen a more counter-productive path. I now regret it completely. ... Read full article ... |
| Sixth chapter of OFAB launched in Burkina Faso |
| Posted: December 3, 2012 |
| The Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in October 2012 launched a sixth chapter in Burkina Faso. This is the first OFAB chapter in Francophone Africa and is a collaborative effort between the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the Institut de I’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA). The launch which was held in Ouagadougou, was presided over by Prof Gnissa Isaie Konate Burkina Faso’s Minister of Scientific Research and Innovation, and Dr T Kyetere the AATF Executive Director. In his official remarks, Prof Konate said that biotechnology can be used as a powerful engine for agricultural growth. “These technologies can be used to overcome the challenges related to population growth, climate change, yield decrease, food insecurity and poverty” he added. ... Read full article ... |
| We must remove the landmines that limit access to biotechnology in Africa |
| Posted: November 22, 2012 |
| Back in the dark days of apartheid, many South African farmers like myself were forced to drive our tractors through fields full of landmines as we worked hard to grow maize and other vegetables. That’s now a part of history, thank goodness. Yet farmers in today’s Africa continue to face landmines of the metaphorical variety: As we try to obtain access to the latest agricultural technology, we see hazardous obstacles everywhere. They must be removed. If our continent is ever going to feed itself, we’re going to have to beat the odds–and adopt the same tools that are taken for granted in so much of the developed world. That means we must have access to seeds improved with biotechnology. I’ve seen the benefits of GM crops firsthand. Just south of Johannesburg, I own several acres of land and rent more. For the last eight years, I’ve grown genetically modified corn and soybeans. They are outstanding crops. My yields have improved by more than one-third, meaning that the economics of farming never have been better. Agriculture doesn’t have to be a subsistence occupation. ... Read full article ... |
| Biotechnology won’t survive ignorance |
| Posted: November 13, 2012 |
| The future of biotechnology and the direction it takes is largely dependent on the public’s ability to understand and support the science. Speaking at the recent Africa Bio information day, Lorenzo Raynard, manager of science communication at the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement, said that public perception and a lack of understanding of biotechnology in Europe has had a big influence on research and development of new technologies. “If it is not understood, then the science can’t be nurtured and the next generation of scientists will be absent.” Raynard said that the burden of modern day scientists is huge as they can’t just sit in a lab and do their work, but need to teach new scientists, look for funding and educate consumers in order for the technology to prevail. Dr Nompumelelo Obokoh, CEO of Africa Bio, bemoaned the fact that most African countries haven’t adopted the very technology that could solve hunger. ... Read full article ... |
| Academy of Sciences offers to broker biotech debate |
| Posted: November 13, 2012 |
| The Tanzania Academy of Sciences (TAAS) last week resolved to facilitate broader public dialogue on agricultural biotechnology, in particular GM technology, which has engaged scientists and policy-makers in protracted debate over the past five years with precious little movement forward, the Guardian on Sunday can report. This was one among several recommendations made at a consultative workshop on climate change in Dar es Salaam – convened by TAAS – at which delegates expressed concern over delays in making decisions on how the country could embrace GM technology as a one of the means to address food security against the backdrop of global warming. At issue is country’s ‘Strict Liability’ clause in the 2009 biosafety regulatory regime that holds everyone down the supply line liable to legal sanctions should anything go wrong in the process of developing GM products – particularly food – which many fear could have adverse effects on human and animal health. ... Read full article ... |
| Opposition thaws for GM crops in Africa |
| Posted: November 11, 2012 |
| By contrast, the African continent is overcoming its initial apprehensions about GM crops, prompted by skepticism in the European export market and by the activities of NGOs. Earlier this year, Ghana's recently established National Biosafety Committee received three applications from scientists to conduct research and field trials on GM crops, one for cowpea and two for sweet potato. If these applications are approved, Ghana will become the seventh African country cultivating GM crops. Currently, however, only three African countries—Burkina Faso, Egypt and South Africa—grow GM crops commercially. Seed sales in South Africa, the biggest producer of GM crops in Africa, show that Bt maize and Roundup Ready soybean make up about two-thirds of maize and soybean sales, and all cotton seed sales are of Bt cotton. Although few African countries are planting GM varieties, nearly 20 nations have fully fledged biosafety regulations. Diran Makinde, the director of the African Biosafety Network and Expertise (ABNE) says many francophone countries adopted laws based on the precautionary approach endorsed by the European Union. These made those planting GM crops—whether companies or research institutes—liable for any harm resulting from it, which meant nobody was willing to take the risk. ... Read full article ... |
| Farmer's Diary: Biotechnology has the potential to solve our farming problems |
| Posted: November 7, 2012 |
| Farming in Uganda today faces a multitude of challenges. We have a rapidly growing population and our gardens are becoming smaller due to fragmentation. The soil is getting exhausted mainly because of bad farming practices. Our fish stocks are dwindling thanks to pollution of the water bodies, bad fishing methods, and the devastation of wetlands. Most of our farmers lack the knowledge and financial capacity to apply modern farming methods to increase yields. We have a small national budget for agriculture (less than five per cent).
A trip to some of our national agricultural research stations brought me face to face with the men and women who are fighting the diseases and the other problems that have devastated the production of some of our crops such as bananas, cassava, coffee, and cotton. There is an urgent need for policy makers to allocate more money to agriculture, especially agricultural research, for us to overcome the diseases and the pests that have reduced food production and hampered poverty reduction. We need to develop crop lines that are resistant to the new diseases and other emerging challenges such as rising temperatures.
We have to prioritise food security over and above all other issues right now. Otherwise, how can we expect a better future without food? ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya can emulate Colombia in growing Bt cotton - expert |
| Posted: November 1, 2012 |
| The Colombian experience of growing Bt cotton can be replicated in Kenya, and it would boost the performance of Kenyan agricultural sector, according to an expert. Dr. Charles Waturu, the Centre Director of Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) – Thika, who is also the principal investigator of the Bt cotton project, presented a paper titled “Bt cotton commercialization: case study of Colombia” at the OFAB monthly forum. ... Read full article ... |
| Africa's biotechnology forum coordinator counsels farmers on improved seed varieties |
| Posted: November 1, 2012 |
| Mr Daniel Otunge, Coordinator of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, on Thursday, decried the negative perception to improved seed varieties by farmers in some African countries. Otunge said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that the negative perception should be corrected to enable Nigeria to attain food sufficiency. The coordinator spoke on the sidelines of the ongoing Biosciences for Farming in Africa (B4FA) training programme for journalists in Ibadan. The programme is a six-month Media Fellowship where participants engage in dialogue and undergo training on plant breeding and genetics. ... Read full article ... |
| African Green Revolution Forum 2012: technology for food security |
| Posted: November 1, 2012 |
| Food Security, according to the World Food Summit of 1996, exists “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. This definition takes into account both physical and economic access, availability and use of food that meets people's dietary needs as well as their food preferences. In Europe and North America, people are increasingly becoming socially conscious to eat ethical – most times opting for “clean” pesticide-free food. In sub-Sahara Africa, however, where the food imports of most countries far outweigh local production levels, the ‘luxury’ of choosing what to eat is yet to gain momentum as people would rather dream of sufficiency in food availability. The introduction of appropriate water management systems to use as irrigation, increasing use of fertilizers and improved seeds and preserving natural resources are critical to securing a greener Africa, said Prof. Richard Mkandawire, Advisor and Head of Agriculture Unit at the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya emerges as hub for bio-tech in east African region |
| Posted: November 1, 2012 |
| Kenya has emerged as a leader in the development and use of biotechnology in the east and central African region. It was among the first African nations to embrace the use of biotechnology, especially in the agriculture sector. As a result, other east African nations come to Kenya to learn from its experiences. Even its economic blue print, Vision 2030 recognizes the role of biotechnology in propelling the nation to middle income status. Currently there are a number of biotechnology projects in progress by both public and private research institutions. International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) AfriCenter Director Dr. Margaret Karembu told Xinhua in a recent interview in Nairobi that at least five agricultural crops are currently undergoing biotechnology improvements in Kenya. ... Read full article ... |
| Nigeria: OFAB to partner with Benue Government on biotechnology |
| Posted: November 1, 2012 |
| The Nigerian chapter of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) has expressed readiness to partner with the Benue State government to boost food production and ensure food security in the country through biotechnology. The Director-General of National Biotechnology Development Agency and OFAB, Nigeria chair, Professor Bamidele Ogbe Solomon gave the assurance at a one-day open stakeholders forum for the north-central zone held in Makurdi. Solomon said Benue stands at advantage to benefit from the new scientific discovery in terms of food production because majority of its population earn their living through agriculture. ... Read full article ... |
| Experts at war as maize growers harvest big losses |
| Posted: October 28, 2012 |
| The disease threatening to wipe out this year’s maize crop has spread to four provinces. A task force established by the government to look into the crisis says the disease, which was first reported in Bomet last year, has spread to Rift Valley, Nyanza, Eastern and Central provinces. It has destroyed crops on more than 90,000 hectares, according to the task force which presented its findings for the first time in public on Thursday. “Where the crops were infected when young, losses are up to 100 per cent, ” Dr Anne Wangai, a member of the task force and a senior researcher with the Kenya Agricultural Institute (Kari), said. The report reveals glaring conflicts between what the researchers have found out and what the Ministry of Agriculture has been telling the public. Dr Wangai says the disease is caused by two different viruses working in cahoots. She told the annual Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa in Nairobi that extensive trials both locally and abroad had confirmed that the infection was a viral disease. But a statement issued by Agriculture minister Sally Kosgei in June, and posted on the ministry’s website, said the disease was also caused by a fungus. “Confirmed results now indicate the combination of disease causing pathogens as mainly viruses and fungi... a fungus has been detected as one of the pathogens involved in the disease complex,” the statement said. ... Read full article ... |
| Nigeria to combat vitamin A deficiency with hybrid maize |
| Posted: October 28, 2012 |
| [ABUJA, 29 August 2012] In a bid to tackle widespread vitamin A deficiency, particularly among pregnant mothers and young children, Nigeria has released two fortified maize hybrids for use in agriculture.
The hybrids — developed by Nigeria's International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and research partners — contain 75 per cent more beta-carotene (a substance that can be converted to vitamin A in the body) than the common commercial maize hybrid marketed in Nigeria.
The vitamin A-rich varieties, 'lfe maizehyb 3' and 4 — which were produced by conventional breeding techniques — were released last month (4 July) by the National Variety Release Committee of Nigeria. Abebe Menkir, a leading IITA maize breeder, told SciDev.Net: "Pro-vitamin A is converted by the body into vitamin A when the maize is eaten. The common maize cultivars grown by farmers contain low levels of pro-vitamin A in their grains". The two hybrids, Menkir explained, have high yield potential, desirable agronomic traits, and some resistance against the major diseases prevalent in Nigeria's lowland savannas. ... Read full article ... |
| Nigeria: 'fuel subsidy row delays assent to Bio Safety Bill' |
| Posted: October 28, 2012 |
| The Director General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Prof Bamidele Solomon, has said that the passed bio-safety bill is taking too long to get President Goodluck Jonathan's assent because of the fuel subsidy issues and the security challenges facing the country. ... Read full article ... |
| Nigerians still fear to eat GM foods - NASCN |
| Posted: October 28, 2012 |
| Nigerians are still apprehensive of Genetically Modified foods despite the fact that they are safe for consumption, the National Agricultural Seeds Council of Nigeria (NASCN), has said. NASCN's acting Director General, Anthony Olatokun, who said this in Abuja yesterday at the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), said many Nigerians are still asking whether GM foods are safe for consumption or not. ... Read full article ... |
| Biotechnology has no health and environmental hazards - Expert |
| Posted: October 28, 2012 |
| Professor Jonathan Padi Tetteh, a biotechnology expert, has debunked public perception that Genetic Modified foods pose health risks to human. He said GM foods posed no health risk since extensive test was made on them before they were released. GM foods, he noted, had been consumed in many countries including USA, Canada, Brazil, India and China for over 16 years without any reports of adverse effects. Prof Tetteh was speaking at the monthly session meeting of Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB) on the theme: “Impact of biotechnology on Food production” in Accra. He said: “Most of the imported foods into the country are GM foods, yet we eat and have no adverse effects and we speak against GMOs as if is the work of Satan. “God created man and impacted knowledge into man to discover and explore what He (God) created and that is what GMOs is all about. It is God’s creation and man only discovered it”, he said. On the environmental hazard of using biotechnology, Prof Tetteh said a toxin known as Bt toxin had been produced by the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis, which was toxic to insects of the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera families only, but not to man, and other animals. “This toxin is formulated into insecticide, and used safely by organic farmers to control insects on their crops. The biotechnologist introduced the Bt gene from the bacteria, into crops now referred to as Bt crops. Bt crops can produce their own Bt toxin to protect themselves”, he said. Speaking about some new discoveries in nature due to biotechnology, he said, biotechnology had provided a technology for Artificial Insemination (AI) in the livestock sector to allow superior male parents to father thousands of offspring’s at a time. ... Read full article ... |
| New plan on GMO rules to reduce risks |
| Posted: October 27, 2012 |
| Kenya plans to develop all the necessary guidelines for handling Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) by the end of year. National Bio-Safety Authority (NBA) Chief Executive Officer Willy Tonui said the procedures will help consumers tackle the potential risks of biotech products. “We have already put in place some regulations but by the end of the year, we will have developed all regulations to handle GMOs,” Dr Tonui said during a workshop for the Open Forum for African Biotechnology (OFAB). He said that so far, there has been no commercial release of biotech products in the market. “NBA has currently approved five confined trials, including for biotech cotton, fortified sorghum, water resistant maize and cassava,” he said. He added that NBA only regulates and approves use of biotech products it was up to industry players to meet requirements before their producst are allowed into the market. Dr Tonui noted that Kenya’s road towards commercialisation of GMOs has been hit by lack of sufficient research to develop products. ... Read full article ... |
| Greenpeace Founder: Biotech Opposition is Crime Against Humanity |
| Posted: October 25, 2012 |
| A co-founder of Greenpeace speaks in favor of one of the things the organization has most vehemently opposed over the years. Dr. Patrick Moore was the keynote speaker at this week’s Manitoba Special Crops Symposium in Winnipeg. Moore served for nine years as President of Greenpeace Canada, and seven years as a Director of Greenpeace International. As the leader of many campaigns Dr. Moore was a driving force shaping policy and direction while Greenpeace became the world’s largest environmental activist organization. You could say since that time his perspective on sustainability and environmental responsibility has changed somewhat. ... Read full article ... |
| Oyo govt disburses N3224.8m to 2,541 farmers |
| Posted: October 18, 2012 |
| OYO State government has disbursed N224.8 million to about 2,541 small holder farmers across the state. The state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi disclosed this at the weekend while speaking at the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, held at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo, reiterated the commitment of his administration to assist farmers to move from subsistence level to commercial production of some crops. According to him, “this administration is committed to improving agricultural productivity as a means of creating wealth and jobs for the unemployed and abundant food production at affordable prices to all and sundry” The governor, according to a release signed by the deputy governor’s Special Assistant on Media, Mr Sola Adegoke, said to achieve the set objective, his administration had unveiled the first set of 141 YES-O agricultural cadets, as agricultural extension agents under the state’s Youth Empowerment Scheme tagged: YES-O as well as launched the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) to boost agricultural extension delivery in the state. While expressing the support of his administration to the domestication of biotechnology in Nigeria, Senator Ajimobi charged the forum to promote the new technology which, he said would enhance agricultural productivity in the country as the case in the developed world. He also expressed the belief that the Forum would provide an avenue to enlighten members of the public on the benefit derivable from the adoption of the new technology and as well correct the misgivings about biotechnology. The governor also disclosed that based on its comparative advantage, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture had selected Oyo State to participate in eight commodities under its agricultural transformation agenda. These, he said, included cassava, cocoa, oil palm, maize/soya bean, cotton, fisheries and livestock. ... Read full article ... |
| Increasing banana yields by using tissue culture method |
| Posted: October 18, 2012 |
| If the country [Uganda] is to advance in agriculture, it has to adopt technologies that give advantage to farmers in the provision of planting materials that are free of disease, mature fast, have better yield and are safe for human consumption. One of the types of technology that can be adopted is tissue culture as it is easily adoptive to existing planting materials that are indigenous and abundant. Tissue culture is a method of producing plants from roots, leaves or stems under sterile conditions and they can be produced in great numbers. And it can be for distribution to farmers at household and commercial levels. ... Read full article ... |
| AATF, INERA set to launch OFAB chapter in Burkina Faso |
| Posted: October 8, 2012 |
| The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the Institut de I’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA) will launch the sixth chapter of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) on Monday, 22 October 2012, in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. This follows successful consultative meetings AATF held with various key Burkina Faso biotech stakeholders, including the Minister for Scientific Research and Innovations, Prof Gnissa Isaie Konate and INERA Director, Dr Lompo Francois, during which the idea of launching OFAB was overwhelmingly endorsed by the leaders. ... Read full article ... |
| Study linking GM crops and cancer questioned |
| Posted: September 24, 2012 |
| Today [19 September 2012], researchers led by Gilles-Eric Séralini at the University of Caen in France announced evidence for a raft of health problems in rats fed maize that has been modified to be resistant to the herbicide Roundup. They also found similar health problems in rats fed the herbicide itself. Are the findings reliable? There is little to suggest they are. Tom Sanders, head of nutritional research at King's College London, says that the strain of rat the French team used gets breast tumours easily, especially when given unlimited food, or maize contaminated by a common fungus that causes hormone imbalance, or just allowed to age. There were no data on food intake or tests for fungus in the maize, so we don't know whether this was a factor. ... Read full article ... |
| Millers want GM food rule dropped |
| Posted: July 31, 2012 |
| Millers are pushing for an urgent review of the newly-gazetted regulations on labelling of genetically modified foods. The Cereal Millers Association (CMA) criticised the GM regulations, saying they are too prohibitive and likely to cause food shortage in the country this year. The millers fear that the labelling regulation may be part of efforts to stigmatise GM foods. "Labelling of GM foods alarms and turns away consumers by creating a sense of panic among them," CMA executive director Paloma Fernandes told a press conference in Nairobi on Thursday. ... Read full article ... |
| Importers oppose conditions on GMOs |
| Posted: July 31, 2012 |
| A year after the government put labeling regulations on importation of all Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Products, the Cereal Millers Association is crying foul that the rules have hindered importation. Chief Executive Officer Paloma Fernandez said on Thursday that the number of applications from millers and other stakeholders to import or trade in GMO's was minimal because of fear of contravening the conditions. She said the labeling requirements which were put in place to give the consumer a choice are complicated and technically demanding. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya: The GM Debate Is More Than About Biosafety |
| Posted: May 23, 2012 |
| This month [May], after almost a decade of intense debate, Kenya is expected to become the third country in Sub-Saharan Africa - after South Africa and Burkina Faso - to approve the commercial planting of genetically modified (GM) crops. Other countries are not far behind. By 2015, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda and could all be growing GM crops such as maize, rice, wheat, sorghum and cotton, according to a report published by the industry-sponsored International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). This marks a potential victory for evidence-based policy. Despite claims to the contrary, there are no documented health or environmental problems linked to GM crops. No one denies that there are potential risks associated with planting GM crops, such as the unknown consequences of implanted genes spreading to native varieties, a concern raised in Mexico after a field trial of GM maize was authorised. But this is a reason to ensure that GM crops are closely monitored and regulated, not banned. Biosafety laws need to be in place before farmers can grow GM crops, and this is where Nigeria's progress towards adopting the technology has faltered. ... Read full article ... |
| Warm up to GM maize meal by 2014 |
| Posted: May 22, 2012 |
| Kenyans could start consuming genetically modified maize by 2014, according to the National Biosafety Authority. Speaking during a stakeholders' forum on GM foods on Friday [11 May 2012], the NBA chairperson, Prof Miriam Kinyua, said the country should adopt the latest technology in food production to ease perennial shortages. "Modern biotechnology offers tremendous benefits to developing countries but its development and introduction has been largely hampered." ... Read full article ... |
| Public awareness critical for modern agricultural biotechnology |
| Posted: May 10, 2012 |
| Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, on Thursday said African still lags behind in the exploitation of its potential, partly due to the lack of enabling environment for the development and use of agricultural biotechnology. "Discussion over agricultural biotechnology and its application are surrounded by misconceptions due to lack of or conflicting information," she said at the 5th anniversary celebration and planning meeting of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB), in Accra. The biotechnology forum is a platform that brings together stakeholders in the field of biotechnology, including scientists, journalists, the civil society, industrialists, lawmakers and policy makers to discuss issues concerning the area. ... Read full article ... |
| Developing Countries the Next frontier for Biotech Crops, says Expert |
| Posted: May 8, 2012 |
| The global south could be the next frontier for large scale cultivation of genetically engineered crops as countries explore sustainable options to combat food insecurity in the light of rapid population growth, climate change and shrinking acreage on arable land. Clive James, the Founder and Chair of the International Service for Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) told a Kenyan Press corps in Nairobi that "beyond 2012,developing countries will plant more than 50% genetically modified crops." The eminent crop scientist revealed that commercialization of genetically modified crops has been on an upward trajectory globally. ... Read full article ... |
| The Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa marks fifth anniversary as it seeks to expand |
| Posted: May 2, 2012 |
| The Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB) today announced it had received a grant of US$3 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand its work. The announcement was made during the Forum's fifth anniversary celebrations in Accra, Ghana. The initiative set up in 2006, aims to enhance knowledge-sharing and awareness on biotechnology and to contribute to building an enabling environment for decision making on agricultural biotechnology in Africa. "Biotechnology has delivered substantial benefits to farmers around the world but Africa still lags behind in exploiting its potential partly due to lack of an enabling environment for the development and use of agricultural biotechnology," said Hon Sherry Ayittey, Ghana's Minister for Environment, Science and Technology in her address during the Forum's fifth anniversary celebration in Accra, Ghana. ... Read full article ... |
| IITA gets US$7 million from Bill & Melinda Gates foundation |
| Posted: April 25, 2012 |
| The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has given US$7 million to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) for the implementation of the second phase of the Commercial Products (COMPRO-II) project to be launched on 16-17 May in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, according to a statement from IITA made available to PANA on Sunday. "The plan is to raise awareness among over two million smallholder farmers on effective and profitable commercial products by 2016 through public-private partnership," IITA Director General, Nteranya Sanginga, said in the statement. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya edges closer to GM foods |
| Posted: April 19, 2012 |
| Kenya's battle to end food shortages may be won with the introduction of drought-tolerant maize in the next five years, scientists have said. This will make it the third country in the continent after Egypt, South Africa and Burkina Faso to use genetically modified (GM) crops for increased farm yields. The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications chairman Clive James said the political will and support from the government has made it possible for Kenya to move from the trials stage. Dr James said Kenya, like other countries that have already embraced the technology, stands to make gains beyond the anticipated bumper harvests. ... Read full article ... |
| 'Use of Bt cotton can boost yield in Nigeria' - Expert |
| Posted: April 19, 2012 |
| The use of Bt cotton seeds can give better yields than non-biotech hybrid varieties currently grown in Nigeria, according to Professor Bamidele Solomon, Director General of National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA). Speaking at an Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa, Prof. Solomon said the production of cotton in Nigeria has declined to 120,000 tons per annum, which is less than half of over 300,000 tons per annum once produced in Nigeria. He suggested the use of biotechnology to increase cotton production and thereby to revamp the ailing Nigerian textile industry. He stated that according to a latest report, field trails in India have shown that Bt cotton hybrids give 80 percent greater yield than non-biotech hybrids. ... Read full article ... |
| US commends Ghana for passing GMO law |
| Posted: April 17, 2012 |
| The US government has commended Ghana for passing the biotechnology (GMO) bill into law. It believes that the government will now be able to meet the nutritional needs of Ghanaians and American biotechnology companies will be able to sell their seeds and agriculture products in Ghana. The US Under Secretary, Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Robert D. Hormats applauded President John Evans Atta Mills for signing the bill into law. Answering a question posed by ghanabusinessnews.com during "A virtual media briefing" via the telephone at the US Embassy in Accra Tuesday April 17, 2012, he said the law is a very important step in giving opportunities for biotechnology to make a contribution to increasing the quality in the diets of the citizens of Ghana. ... Read full article ... |
| EFSA finds genetically modified maize safe for health and environment |
| Posted: April 17, 2012 |
| The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has released a report stating that Monsanto's MON810 genetically modified maize - an insect resistant strain of maize, does not cause any adverse effects on the environment, human and animal health. ... Read full article ... |
| NARO Scientist: Uganda to Commercialize Biotech Cotton in 2014 |
| Posted: April 15, 2012 |
| Uganda is anticipating the commercial adoption of the first biotech crop in 2014 after a regulatory framework for production has been set, said senior research officer Yona Baguna from the National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO). Baguna reported that there are ongoing trials on GM banana, cassava, maize, cotton, and potato. These promising crops have the potential to give Ugandans food security and at the same time improve their livelihood. ... Read full article ... |
| Accept GMOs, says FAO |
| Posted: April 12, 2012 |
| THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said Zambia and other countries in Southern Africa should accept the use of the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), especially with adverse changes in weather patterns. FAO climate change expert Louis Bockel said with Southern Africa experiencing adverse climate change, it was important for farmers to adapt to new technologies to survive weather pressures. Professor Bockel, who has spent 25 years in the agricultural value chain and agricultural policy planning in more than 40 countries, said countries would have to be ready for adverse weather conditions that came with climate change. ... Read full article ... |
| Adopt Genetically Modified crops to increase yields - Prof Nketsia-Tabiri |
| Posted: April 5, 2012 |
| Professor Josephine Nketsia-Tabiri, Director of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI), has called on farmers to embrace the application of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), to increase crop yields and help sustain socio-economic sustainability. She said, the adoption of biotechnology would not only increase production but also fight insects to enable farmers to save money for other uses. Some critical challenges facing farmers including weeds, pests and diseases, spoilage due to over-ripening, inadequate irrigation and lack of mechanization can be addressed through effective application of biotechnology", she added. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya cannot avoid GMOs, says PS |
| Posted: April 5, 2012 |
| Kenya will eventually have to adopt genetically modified food technologies to feed its growing population no matter how long it takes a top official of the Ministry charged with research has said. Professor Crispus Kiamba, the Permanent Secretary ministry of higher education, science and technology said yesterday it is only the lack of understanding of the concept by leaders that is delaying the inevitable. "When we adopted the biosafety law the noise that followed waws not from a scientific point of view especially in the social and political circles but as someone used to say upende usipende (you like it or not), we can not avoid avoid the GMO's unless we want to be a supermarket for South African food imports which are genetically modified anyway", Kiamba said. ... Read full article ... |
| Call for regulatory policies to revise bio safety law |
| Posted: April 4, 2012 |
| Dr Hans Adu-Dapaah, Director of Crop Research of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research, has called for regulatory policies to revise the bio- safety law to maximise gains in the era of genetic revolution. He said this would help reduce cost without compromising quality and safety since rigorous regulatory requirements increases costs. Dr Adu-Dapaah made the call at the 2012 maiden monthly session of Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa, on the theme: "The new Bio- safety and its implications for Biotechnology Research in Ghana," in Accra on Monday. ... Read full article ... |
| Biotechnology crucial to global food security - Prof Alhassan |
| Posted: April 4, 2012 |
| Professor Walter Alhassan, Coordinator, Project on Strengthening Capacity for Safe Biotechnology Management in Sub-Saharan Africa (SABIMA), says biotechnology is crucial to the pursuit of global food security since conventional crop improvement alone cannot guarantee human nutritional needs. Biotechnology is the use of living organisms to produce a product or service such as tools of tissue culture, molecular characterization for identification purposes in plant breeding, diagnostics, fermentation and genetic engineering. Professor Alhassan, who launched the 2011 Global Status Report on Commercialized Biotechnology and Genetically Modified (GM) Crops in Accra, said no single approach could feed the projected world's population of nine billion by 2050. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya eyes GM crops to ensure food security |
| Posted: April 3, 2012 |
| Kenya is one of the four African countries expected to adopt commercial farming of biotechnology crops as part of efforts to alleviate hunger in the next five years. A "Global Status of Commercialised Biotech/GM Crops" report cites the move by the government to set up a regulatory authority and enact a biosafety law as an indication that Kenya is likely to join South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt in the league of nations to embrace the technology. ... Read full article ... |
| 10 African countries to adopt biotech crops by 2015 |
| Posted: March 15, 2012 |
| Ten African countries will have adopted biotech crops by 2015, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) official said last week. ISAAA Director, Dr Margaret Karembu said in Nairobi that already three African countries, namely South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt are already commercialising biotech crops and have planted these crops on 2.5 million hectares of land. 'Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda are currently conducting field trials while Malawi have approved pending trials has adopted commercial and by 2015 a total of ten countries in Africa will have commercial biotech crops,' Karembu said. ... Read full article ... |
| GM cotton to be in farms by 2014: KARI |
| Posted: February 27, 2012 |
| Farmers are likely to start cultivating genetically modified cotton by 2014, a research firm has revealed. Researchers at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARIi) at the weekend said they were awaiting the approval of the National Biosafety Authority before contracting farmers to grow the crop. ... Read full article ... |
| Agency joins Gates, Gatsby, J.P. Morgan, Rockefeller and others to help agriculture-based businesses in Africa |
| Posted: February 9, 2012 |
| As East Africa struggles with skyrocketing food prices and the region's worst drought in 60 years, the U.S. Agency for International Development, together with six partners, is announcing a first-of-its-kind effort to invest $25 million in small- and medium-sized enterprises. ... Read full article ... |
| Biotech cotton to be commercialized in Kenya by end of 2014 |
| Posted: November 27, 2011 |
| High yielding biotech cotton (Bt) will be commercialized in Kenya by the end of 2014, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) scientist said on Thursday (24 November 2011).The Principal Investigator of Bt cotton in Kenya, Dr. Charles Waturu, told Xinhua in Nairobi that the research institution is currently carrying out field tests on the safety of the three different varieties of Bolgard II, which have been adapted to Kenya's conditions in readiness for distribution to farmers. ... Read full article ... |
| Querries over gazetting of Biosafety law |
| Posted: September 15, 2011 |
| The government in gazetting the Biosafety Regulations seeks to regulate the cultivation, importation and trade, in Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in a way prevent unscrupulous importation of the GMOs into the country. ... Read full article ... |
| GM maize imports are now legal |
| Posted: August 15, 2011 |
| Kenyans can now legally import genetically modified maize after the guidelines were gazetted on Friday [12 August 2011]. The guidelines control how to import, export and transit such materials in Kenya. ... Read full article ... |
| Scholars in bid to put GM food fears to rest |
| Posted: August 12, 2011 |
| Scholars on Wednesday (10 August 2011) sought to dispel fears that genetically modified foods were unfit for human consumption. The chairman of the Vice-Chancellors' Committee, Prof Barasa Wangila, said the debate should not be limited to crops alone but should extend to products like chicken and fruits. ... Read full article ... |
| Drought is natural but our famine is man-made, so let us learn to mitigate |
| Posted: August 10, 2011 |
| In 1981, writing about the great famines of the last century, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen noted that droughts are natural phenomena, but famines are man-made. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya experts allay fears on GMOs |
| Posted: August 8, 2011 |
| Scientific experts say there is no cause for alarm on the consumption of Genetic Modified Organisms-GMOs since they are fit for human consumption.
The experts say that majority of Kenyans have been consuming GMO food unknowingly and no negative effects have been reported. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya pushes ahead with GM cotton plans |
| Posted: August 4, 2011 |
| Kenya will have its first commercial genetically modified cotton crop in 2014 when seeds are released to farmers. Genetically modified cotton seeds commonly known as BT cotton are resistant to certain diseases and tolerant to drought and therefore give farmers a yield double that of ordinary cotton. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) has a demonstration farm in Thika, while trials on the seed have run for several years and farmers in Embu have been trained on how to grow it. ... Read full article ... |
| Biotechnology researches here to stay |
| Posted: August 3, 2011 |
| The government of Tanzania has defended biotechnology researches saying studies are crucial in ensuring sustainable development of living organisms. The Director of Science and Technology in the Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology, Prof Evelyne Mbede, expressed concern that some people were trying to undermine such studies, relating them with the promotion of artificial products. ... Read full article ... |
| Farmers lobby backs GM maize imports |
| Posted: August 2, 2011 |
| A farmers' lobby has supported calls for Kenyans to adopt genetically modified crops as residents in drought-hit areas also welcomed the plan to import GM maize. Cereals Growers Association chief executive officer David Nyameino said the maize was resistant to diseases and harsh weather conditions and would improve production. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya opens up to GMO crops in war on hunger |
| Posted: July 26, 2011 |
| Kenya has removed that last hurdle to the growing and sale of genetically modified crops, opening up the domestic market to cheaper varieties of staple foods such as maize and wheat that could help reduce supply and stabilise prices in the near term. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya set to give green light to GM crops |
| Posted: July 18, 2011 |
| Cotton that uses genes from Bacillus thuringiensis to fight pests is likely to be the first crop approved under Kenya's new rules for genetically modified organisms. ... Read full article ... |
| Is Kenya ready for GMO? |
| Posted: July 14, 2011 |
| Is Kenya ready for genetically modified food? And for how long can this country live on the other side of the fence without transgenic foods. ... Read full article ... |
| Nigeria Passes Biosafety Bill |
| Posted: June 8, 2011 |
| The Nigerian Senate enacted the Biosafety Bill into law on June 1, 2011, after several years of stakeholders' discussion and debate. ... Read full article ... |
| AATF advocates passage of Biosafety Bill |
| Posted: June 8, 2011 |
| African Agricultural Technology Foundation has reiterated the need for speedy passage of the Biosafety Bill in Nigeria. ... Read full article ... |
| Ministers, researchers identify benefits of biotechnology, canvass passage of Biosafety Bill |
| Posted: June 2, 2011 |
| Stakeholders in agricultural biotechnology in Nigeria met on 16 May at the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, Abia State, calling for an urgent passage of the biosafety bill. ... Read full article ... |
| Nigerian Biosafety Bill may fail, say scientists |
| Posted: May 4, 2011 |
| Supporters of genetically modified (GM) crop technology fear that their four-year effort to get a biosafety bill enacted in Nigeria may have been in vain if the country's upper house fails to pass it before its tenure ends next month (29 May). ... Read full article ... |
| Africa still debating GMOs' pros and cons |
| Posted: May 4, 2011 |
| Most African governments are still sceptical about genetically modified organism (GMO) crops as a result of concerns about food safety, the environment and the general public mistrust of multinationals that are often seen as manipulative and unscrupulous, food and agricultural experts say. ... Read full article ... |
| Report shows public misinformed on agri-biotech |
| Posted: May 4, 2011 |
| Although the media is the most trusted institution, scientists have snubbed it during research. ... Read full article ... |
| Grant to establish African Seed Institute in Kenya |
| Posted: April 26, 2011 |
| Iowa State University and University of Nairobi have received a grant from AGRA to establish a Seed Enterprise Management Institute at the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences in Kabete, Kenya ... Read full article ... |
| GM on the rise in Africa |
| Posted: April 26, 2011 |
| With Africa under pressure to produce more food for its growing population, more countries across the continent are likely to start growing genetically modified (GM) crops, says an article in Reuters. ... Read full article ... |
| Bio-safety regulations to commercialise GM crops |
| Posted: April 26, 2011 |
| Farmers [in Kenya] will soon plant genetically modified crops on their farms once the draft on bio-safety regulations under discussion is adopted, making Kenya the fourth country in Africa after South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt to commercialise genetically modified crops (GM). ... Read full article ... |
| Biosciences key to feeding Africa |
| Posted: April 18, 2011 |
| Biosciences offer many regions in Africa an opportunity to produce surplus food for the first time. - Juma ... Read full article ... |
| ISAAA releases 2010 report about the global status of biotech crops |
| Posted: March 2, 2011 |
| The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) released its annual report on the global status of commercialized biotech crops in 2010. ... Read full article ... |
| Good news for biotechnology! |
| Posted: February 8, 2011 |
| 1 February 2011: USDA has decided to deregulate glysophate tolerant alfalfa without restriction. After a long court battle and a favorable EIS finding not harm from biotech alfalfa Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced this decision on Thursday. ... Read full article ... |
| Uganda is ready for genetically modified foods |
| Posted: January 10, 2011 |
| A number of negative opinions have been raised in the Ugandan media concerning Genetically Modified Organisms trials in Uganda. Most of the opinions are not informed by the vast knowledge available from biology and genetics and crop breeding. ... Read full article ... |
| Biotechnology: Africa Must Take Decisive Action |
| Posted: November 29, 2010 |
| Agricultural production and the ability to feed the ever-increasing populations are not only challenged by local conditions on the African continent, but globally by the economic recession, high food and fuel prices, climate change and related disasters ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya's GMO law to go live |
| Posted: June 27, 2010 |
| Kenya's long-awaited biosafety law is likely to become operational this month - well over a year after the president approved the legislation. ... Read full article ... |
| Report calls for application of genetic engineered crops |
| Posted: June 22, 2010 |
| A report by the Zambia National Research Council in May 2010 gave ammunition to both sides in the debate over the cultivation of genetically engineered crops. ... Read full article ... |
| Professor Alhassan urges Parliament to speed up passage of Bio-safety Bill |
| Posted: April 28, 2010 |
| Parliament has been asked to expedite action on the passage of the Bio-safety Bill to allow for the production of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in the country, which farmers have been clamouring for. ... Read full article ... |
| South Africa Leads in GM Crops as EA Lags Behind |
| Posted: April 20, 2010 |
| Despite being hailed as a possible answer to the nagging problem of food insecurity, genetically modified crops have yet to be adopted by East African countries on a large scale. ... Read full article ... |
| Global Status of Commercialised Biotech/GM Crops: 2009 - The first fourteen years, 1996 to 2009 |
| Posted: March 1, 2010 |
| The global area of genetically modified (GM) crops grew by seven percent in 2009, to 134 hectares, according to this year's International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) "Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops" report. ... Read full article ... |
| Farmers should embrace GM |
| Posted: February 9, 2010 |
| One of the world's leading agricultural scientists has said that organic farmers should embrace GM. Gordon Conway, Professor of International Development at Imperial College London and a former government adviser, said in an article in the Times that GM could help the organic movement. ... Read full article ... |
| Barriers and paths to market for genetically engineered crops |
| Posted: January 25, 2010 |
| Each year, billions of dollars are invested in efforts to improve crops through genetic engineering (GE). These activities have resulted in a surge of publications and patents on technologies and genes: a momentum in basic research that, unfortunately, is not sustained throughout the subsequent phases of product development. After more than two decades of intensive research, the market for transgenic crops is still dominated by applications of just a handful of methods and genes. ... Read full article ... |
| Hunger: Africa can get out of the trap |
| Posted: August 20, 2009 |
| Africa needs economic and agricultural revolutions greater than the one observed in Asia. With a population of 770 million people estimated to rise to 1.75 billion by 2050, poor performing agriculture aggravated by invasive pests, weeds, land degradation, erosion, droughts and the effects of climate change, Africa faces one of the biggest challenges of its time - assuring its increasing population of a sustainable food supply. ... Read full article ... |
| Government urged to raise awareness of GMOs |
| Posted: August 5, 2009 |
| The Tanzanian Government has been advised to increase the level of awareness of genetically modified (GM) crops among small-scale farmers. ... Read full article ... |
| Status of Biotechnology Policies and Biosafety Legislation in the COMESA Region |
| Posted: August 5, 2009 |
| The Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS) has released a brief on the ''Status of Biotechnology Policies and Biosafety Legislation in the COMESA Region''. ... Read full article ... |
| Biotech Information Core Facility in Nigeria |
| Posted: August 5, 2009 |
| Nigerian Minister of Science and Technology Al-Hassan Bako Zaku has launched a new Biotechnology Information Core Facility (BCIF) at Nigeria's University of Ibadan. ... Read full article ... |
| Kenya Addresses Importance of Raising Public Awareness of Biotechnology |
| Posted: August 5, 2009 |
| Kenyan Agriculture Secretary Wilson Songa has emphasized the importance of communicating accurate information about biotechnology to relevant stakeholders. ... Read full article ... |
| Role of Genetically Modified Crops in Africa |
| Posted: August 5, 2009 |
| Genetically modified (GM) crops conjure up varying emotions worldwide. Nevertheless, their acreage is increasing, reaching 125 million hectares in 2008 ... Read full article ... |
| Tanzania Forum To Facilitate Local Debate On Agricultural Biotechnology |
| Posted: June 18, 2009 |
| One more step towards bringing the debate on agricultural biotechnology closer to the people who stand to gain or lose most from biotechnology was taken recently with the launch of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) Tanzania Chapter. ... Read full article ... |
| Botswana's Agricultural Research Director advocates use of biotech |
| Posted: April 20, 2009 |
| Botswana's Director for Agriculture Research, Pharoah Mosupi, has called for the use of biotechnology to increase food production in the country. ... Read full article ... |
| 90 million Nigerians are food vulnerable |
| Posted: April 19, 2009 |
| About 90 million Nigerians are in a condition of food vulnerability, Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr. Sayyid Abba-Ruma, has said. This means that about 90 million Nigerians cannot take the issue of food for granted as they could be susceptible to the danger of lack of this basic need of life. ... Read full article ... |
| OFAB Nigeria Chapter Launched |
| Posted: April 13, 2009 |
| Lagos, 12 April 2009 - Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Bako Zaku, on Thursday in Abuja, said $500 billion (about N72.3 trillion) was realised from the sale of biotechnology products every year worldwide. He made the announcement at the launch of the third Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa, organised by the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA). ... Read full article ... |
| MOU to strengthen biotech awareness in Africa signed |
| Posted: April 13, 2009 |
| A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the AATF and ISAAA AfriCenter to strengthen biotechnology and biosafety awareness creation and knowledge-sharing in Africa through the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology. ... Read full article ... |
| OFAB to launch Nigeria Chapter on 9 April 2009 |
| Posted: April 7, 2009 |
| The Nigeria Chapter of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) will be launched on 9 April 2009 in Abuja. The Nigeria Chapter will be hosted by the National Biotechnology Development Agency of Nigeria (NABDA) in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN). ... Read full article ... |
| African scientists to their governments: adopt modern agricultural technologies |
| Posted: April 2, 2009 |
| Kenyan Agriculture Secretary Wilson Songa has cautioned African policy makers and stakeholders to stop thinking that Africa can produce enough food through organic technology alone ... Read full article ... |
| Employ biotechnology to fight poverty |
| Posted: March 17, 2009 |
| Prof Walter Sandow Alhassan, Consultant at the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), has indicated that it is unlikely Africa will meet the Millennium Development Goal number 1 (MDG 1) of halving poverty and hunger by 2015 given the current low levels of agricultural productivity. ... Read full article ... |
| The use and conservation of diversity must change with climate change |
| Posted: March 17, 2009 |
| Changes to agricultural geography, brought about by climate change, require us to change our approach to the use and conservation of agricultural biodiversity. ... Read full article ... |
| Hundreds of New Biotech Companies Have Recently Emerged in China |
| Posted: January 10, 2008 |
| Several have even listed shares on the U.S. capital markets a bold sign of things to come. A new report on the emerging companies, government incentives and recent investments that are defining China s burgeoning biotech industry is now available. Find out how to successfully operate in this emerging market. ... Read full article ... |
| Biotech trade group launches nonprofit to aid Third World |
| Posted: January 10, 2008 |
| Reports on the launch of a new nonprofit institute, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation and called the BIO Ventures for Global Health, whose mission will be to work with biotechs to deliver drugs and vaccines to developing countries. It also, says the piece, "intends to address diseases endemic to the Third World that are ignored by an industry focused on profits". ... Read full article ... |
