Nairobi, Kenya
October 25, 2006
Ochieng'
Ogodo, SciDev.Net
The Kenyan government has approved its policy on how
biotechnology is handled in research, development, and in its
application.
The National Biotechnology
Development Policy 2006 approved by the cabinet last month (28
September) marks the go-ahead for the use of biotechnology in
the country.
It outlines the safety
procedures for biotechnology in the context of research and
development, technology transfer and commercialisation of
products that would result from research undertaken in Kenya.
According to the Kenyan
minister for Science and Technology, Noah Wekesa, the document
recognises the role that biotechnology can play in poverty
reduction, enhancing food security and conservation of the
environment and biodiversity.
The policy identifies industry
and trade as key areas for using biotechnology and is committed
to ensuring that information on its development is accurately
and efficiently communicated to the public.
Priority is given to the
provision of relevant infrastructure, framework facilities and
other resources for the rapid and safe development and
application of biotechnology in agriculture, environment,
health, industry and research.
It aims to ensure that Kenya's
biotechnology industry develops in a sustainable way, while
getting its benefits to these key areas, says Wekesa.
But the policy also takes a
strong line on the ethical, environmental and biosafety concerns
of biotechnology.
Wekesa says that the policy
will safeguard Kenya's citizens and environment against the
development or introduction of harmful organisms.
"This will provide those
developing and applying the technology with a clear framework
within which to operate in order to address fears on safety,"
Wekesa was reported to have said in The Sunday Standard.
The policy
outlaws human cloning, terminator technologies and any other
technology found to be entailing unethical scientific practice.
The government also plans to
create legislation to deal with genetically modified organisms
as they are developed, following an ongoing risk assessment.
Any use of biotechnology in Kenya
must receive the approval of the designated authority and meet
the requirements of Kenya's Environment Management and
Coordination Act of 1999. |