The vote established, via
the Bio-Safety Bill, the framework within which the
Government of Kenya may now devise regulations that will
permit agriculture biotechnology use by Kenyan farmers,
trade, and consumers. The President is expected to sign the
Bill before January 1, 2009.
The most relevant features of the Bio-Safety Bill are:
- A legal framework
governing activities (research, import, handling and
export, etc.) related to genetically modified organisms
(GMO); and
- Establishment of the
National Bio-Safety Authority, consisting of 17 board
members, to regulate all activities pertaining to GMO.
After the Bill is enacted,
the National Science and Technology Council will draft
biotech regulations. This process with the establishment of
the National Bio-Safety Authority can take up to six months.
With the passage of the Bio-Safety into law, Kenyan
scientists can go from confined field testing to start
planting the biotech seeds for multiplication. Farmers can
use the seeds to increase agricultural production and
productivity. Finally, this will provide opportunity for
Kenya to import genetically modified products such as maize
to address its food security.
