Ethiopia Approves GM Maize and Cotton for Commercial Production

After several years of efforts, Ethiopia has approved the commercial release of genetically modified (GM) insect protected maize. The Ethiopian Government also authorized the commercialization of GM cotton varieties.

The approvals were given by the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC) for the highly anticipated TELA Maize varieties and Bt-GT cotton that can withstand the major pest bollworm. The TELA maize variety has been extensively tested in Ethiopia's Rift Valley region, where it has shown resilience to drought and pests.

Dr. Dejene Girma, Director of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR)'s Agri-biotechnology Directorate and Bt-GT Coordinator, said that the new cotton variety was rigorously tested for its effectiveness against glyphosate herbicides and bollworms, as well as its adaptability, yield potential, and fiber quality.