Melinda Gates injects Sh300m in agricultural biotechnology

By Fredrick Obura

Bill and Melinda Gates has given Sh300 million to Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB) to increase adoption of technology in food production.

The grant, coming on the backdrop of a report showing steady increase in use of technology in food production, will address existing information gaps and concerns around biotechnology in agriculture.

“We have seen OFAB informing policy decisions on biotechnology through the provision of a platform for highly interactive discussions on biotechnology including discussions on regulations and bio safety laws,” said Dr Margaret Karembu, the chair of the OFAB-Kenya chapter.

“Policymakers and the people they serve need to have the right information on agricultural biotechnology to inform decision-making and subsequent action.”

She said the grant would address the existing biotechnology information gaps and concerns by facilitating the interaction of scientists involved in biotechnology research with journalists, policy makers, civil society, and farmers.

A report on the global status of commercialised genetically modified crops 2011 released by International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) said developing countries grew close to 50 per cent of global biotech crops and are expected to exceed industrial countries hectare in 2012.

“The five lead developing countries in biotech crops are India and China in Asia, Brazil and Argentina in Latin America, and South Africa on the Continent of Africa, which together represent 40 per cent of the global population, which could reach over 10 billion by 2100,” said the report.