Adopt Biotech Crops to Stem Food Crisis -Kenyan Trade Minister

Kenya’s Trade Minister Mukisa Kituyi has urged the country to embrace biotech crops to help boost food production. This will cushion the impact of the increased demand for food crops such as maize, now used in manufacturing biofuels.

In a speech during the visit of the US trade mission to Kenya, the Minister said over the next five years, the world is likely to give greater attention to balancing food security and biofuels production. He warned that the relief maize from the US to Kenya may soon be unavailable as the demand for biofuels increases.

The US trade official, Mike Yost, said the demand for biofuels in America, Europe and Asia has created opportunities that countries in Africa should exploit. One way is through the use of agricultural technologies that will help obtain biotech crops that are better yielding.

Kenya is yet to commercialize biotech crops, although the government has already approved a national policy for biotechnology development and a national biosafety bill.

For more information contact Daniel Otunge of ISAAA AfriCenter at d.otunge@cgiar.org.