Science Reporting Workshop on Biotech and Biosafety

The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in partnership with the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) Africenter and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) organized a two-day workshop on science reporting and effective communication on biotechnology and biosafety on December 13 to 14, 2011.

Nineteen journalists from 13 media houses were trained on how to report effectively on biotechnology, especially on GMO issues. The journalists were of the opinion that this training could have helped them report objectively on the debate that arose when the cabinet approved importation of GM maize. "If we could have had this training before the GM maize debate in June, our reporting would have been better. It would have been based on facts and not myths," said Anthony Aisi, a journalist at Africa Science News Service.

Participants expressed their appreciation for the training which included a one day field trip to the confined field trials of the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project at Kiboko, Eastern Kenya. "The best part of this training was to see the actual GM crop on the field. As a journalist, I get exposed to various opinions and stories about GMOs, but now, I will be reporting on the basis of what I learnt and saw; I have been able to see and understand the importance of the WEMA project; indeed it will change livelihoods of people living in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa," added Joyfrida Anindo of Science Africa.

The Water Efficient Maize for Africa is a project aimed at developing drought tolerant African maize varieties through conventional breeding and biotechnology. It is being carried out in Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

For more information on the WEMA project, email Grace Wachoro of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) at g.wachoro@aatf-africa.org