GMO debate resurfaces in House after drought bites

Kenya; Grim reports that over one million Kenyans are facing starvation have stirred debate on Genetically Modified Foods (GMO) with proponents arguing biotechnology could partly help in improving the country's food security.

GMOs have been banned in the country since 2012 but its proponents have lobbied Cabinet and Parliament to consider lifting the ban.

Yesterday, the chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture Adan Mohamed Noor said the ban on GMOs still stands adding that his committee has interviewed various players but was yet to come up with a verdict on their safety.

"As politicians, we cannot give scientific evidence on whether genetically modified foods are safe for consumption or not. As the committee, however, we are yet to receive convincing evidence that it is safe to lift the ban," said Noor, who is also the Mandera North Member of Parliament.

Mr Noor said they had carried out interviews with different scientists as well as the Ministry of Health and the National Biosafety Authority but were yet to get any headway in determining if GMO products are safe for consumption.

Genetically modified

"Despite being food insecure, we cannot lift the ban without having verified if it is safe and leave our people exposed," he added.

He pointed out that law enforcers needed to be on the lookout for genetically modified products that may have found their way into the country adding that the problem Kenya is facing on GMO is evident in other countries.

However, Prof John Nderitu from Mount Kenya University and an expert on the subject is among those who have called for the lifting of the ban.

He pointed out that the country could greatly benefit from embracing genetically modified foods.

"We are not saying we rely solely on GMO for food security but integrate it into a system of ensuring we do not have some of our people starving to death. This biotechnology can be used as one of the ways of increasing food production. Other countries such as China and India are doing this."

Prof Nderitu said the ban should be lifted to allow people to choose what they want. "Let people choose what they eat because no one will die from GMO. A hungry man would rather die with food in his stomach than die of hunger," he added.