President William Ruto has lifted the ban on genetically modified crops that was imposed in 2012.
In a Cabinet memo dated Monday, October 3 2022, Ruto said the ban has been lifted in accordance with the recommendation of the Task Force formed to Review Matters Relating to Genetically Modified Foods and Food Safety.
“In fidelity with the guidelines of the National Biosafety Authority on all applicable international treaties including the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), Cabinet vacated its earlier decision of November 8, 2012 prohibiting the open cultivation of genetically modified crops and the importation of food crops and animal feeds produced through biotechnology innovations. The Cabinet has effectively lifted the ban on Genetically Modified Crops,” reads the memo.
The memo indicated that by dint of the executive action, open cultivation and importation of White (GMO) maize is now authorized.
The ban was imposed in November 2012 following a Cabinet and Presidential decree.
The then Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) Beth Mugo ordered Public Health Officials to remove all genetically modified (GM) foods from the market and to enforce a ban on GM imports.
She pointed out that the ban undermines Kenya’s legal and regulatory system for agricultural biotechnology codified in its National Biosafety Act of 2009.
