Kenyan farmers could begin cultivating genetically modified potatoes resistant to late blight within the next three years, according to projections by the National Biosafety Authority (NBA).
Josphat Muchiri, biosafety assessment director at NBA, said the five-month assessment of the 3R-gene Shangi potato variety developed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Organization (KALRO) is nearing completion. Public participation is expected to start before December. "We are currently evaluating an application from the Kenya ALRO on potatoes, which have been improved to have resistance to late blight disease. The assessment is ongoing, and very soon we will go to the public to pick their views on the variety," said Muchiri.
NBA estimates that farmers could begin planting the crop by 2028. Current potato production in Kenya is around 2.1 million tons annually.
According to The Cost of Delay report by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the release and commercialization of the genetically modified potato could generate an additional KSh 31.9 billion (US$211 million) for Kenya over the next three decades.
The report, released last year, noted that delays in commercializing BT maize, BT cotton, and potatoes cost Kenya KSh 20.3 billion (US$134 million) over five years. "The KSh 20.3 billion is money we could have used to feed our people," said Dr Daniel Kyalo, senior manager for policy at AATF. "However, we are dealing with a lot of misinformation. There are a lot of myths around GMOs, and it is these myths and misinformation that have led to all these conversations about whether the crops are safe."
Kenya had previously placed a 10-year ban on GMO trade, which was lifted in 2022, allowing the commercialization of BT cotton. Farmer Wilfrida Mubea from Kituyi said, "I started cultivating 1.2 hectares of cotton, and by then I used to get 500 kg, but when I started cultivating the BT cotton variety in 2020, I got 1,442 kg."
However, the commercialization of BT maize has faced legal hurdles. AATF estimates these challenges have cost Kenya KSh 8.6 billion (US$57 million), mainly due to the increased cost of pesticides used on non-GM crops. "Two of the cases have been dismissed by the High Court and the Environment and Land Court, but we still have other outstanding cases in the Court of Appeal and the High Court in Kisumu," added Muchiri.
AATF projects that early and full commercialization of genetically modified maize, cotton, and potatoes could add Ksh 60.7 billion (US$401 million) to Kenya's economy over the next three decades.
Source: KBC
