State eases conditions on GMO imports for animal feeds

The government has relaxed conditions on importation of GMO materials for animal feed manufacture.

In a gazette notice issued last October, the government allowed feed manufactures to import yellow maize that is 100 per cent GMO free.

But feed manufactures asked the government to relax the conditions saying there was a global shortage of raw materials.

Through the Association of Kenya Feed Manufactures, the manufactures want to be allowed to import yellow maize and soybean that is at least 99.1 per cent GMO free, instead of 100 per cent.

Livestock PS Harry Kimtai on Wednesday said the Ministry of Agriculture has decided to review the framework on importation of yellow maize by lowering the requirement to 99.1 per cent GMO free.

He said this is in light of the ongoing drought and shortage of feeds.

AKEFEMA secretary general Martin Kinoti said there is nowhere in the world that they can currently access raw material for making animal feeds that is 100 per cent GMO free.

“We wrote to the Livestock PS after the gazette notice that the 100 per cent GMO free importation window will not be of any value at that point, in the context of finding material,” he said.

The secretary general said they further held a meeting with the PS last week to have the content of that gazette notice reviewed and re-gazetted.

Kinoti spoke on Wednesday during a virtual meeting on the role of biotechnology in addressing the feed crisis in Kenya.

The meeting was organised by the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa.

Kinoti said the animal feed crisis could get worse due to the Russia-Ukraine situation. The two countries make a significant contribution to the world grain.

A 70 kg bag of dairy meal has increased from Sh2,500 in August last year to Sh3,400.

Layers is now selling at Sh3,800 from Sh3,100, while chick marsh is going for Sh4,200 from Sh3,250.

“The situation will get worse because maize prices have gone up this week due to unavailability. Tanzania and Uganda which are our main sources have reported a shortage,” Kinoti said.

The secretary general said maize has gone up from an average of Sh3,100 to Sh3,400.  

“Last November, sunflower was in the range of Sh30 - Sh31 and this has not changed. Soya was selling at Sh110 and it has now increased to Sh125 a kg, it has also disappeared,” he said.

Kinoti said poultry and pig farmers are the most affected and the association is concerned that the situation could become unmanageable due to poor yields.

He said more than 30 manufactures and farmers have either downsized or closed shop.

The secretary general said the country is beginning to feel a shortage of eggs and milk.

He said this is an indicator of the number of farmers that have shut down.

International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications director Margaret Karembu said the livestock sector is becoming uncompetitive, yet this has been a fallback for many young people in the wake for elusive jobs.

“The Big Four Agenda is going down because many of the millers are closing down and food insecurity is also at threat. We are having drought where more than three million Kenyans are affected, with communities that rely on livestock being hit hard,” she said.

Karembu said the current situation calls for concerted efforts because if the industry falls, the whole sector falls. 

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)