This archive report was first published on 5 October 2019.
As I read the Nation's October 1 article on impending food shortages in Kenya, I was disheartened by the lack of progress in adopting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for farming.
However, there is hope. Industry CS Peter Munya has announced plans to revive Mount Kenya Textile Mills in Nanyuki, and President Uhuru Kenyatta's commissioning of a cotton mill in Eldoret in mid-2019 gave us a glimmer of hope for the future of farming and technology.
During his visit, President Kenyatta directed the Agriculture, Industry, Environment, Health, and Education ministers to speed up the commercialization of GMO cotton, which would lift a ban that has hindered farmers and prevented us from achieving food security.
Unfortunately, since his visit, we have made little progress beyond our 20th-century methods. We are no closer to producing GMO cotton, despite its proven benefits in increasing crop yields and reducing pesticide use.
For a decade, I have observed how GMOs have helped farmers around the world, from the United States to South Africa, by reducing threats posed by pests and weeds. Access to GMOs is crucial for a developing country like Kenya, where millions depend on farming and malnutrition is rife.
As President Kenyatta noted in his address at Eldoret Cotton Mill, the demand for GMO cotton is high, and farmers will require access to GMOs that neutralize attacks by bollworms to achieve this. This cotton will feed the new mill and half a dozen others that have been shut down.
Wherever cotton farmers have gained access to GMOs, they have rushed to take advantage of them. In India, for example, an estimated 97 percent of cotton farmers plant GMO varieties. They chose that voluntarily after seeing its benefits.
Maize is the next obvious opportunity for GMO adoption. As a grower of maize, I am aware of how GMOs can improve my produce and profits. This tool would help me kill the insects that destroy crops without the complication of using pesticides.
It is time for Kenyans to stop complaining about colonialism and racism and neglect of Africa and instead allow GMOs to improve our lives. Four months ago in Eldoret, President Kenyatta gave voice to the opportunity. It is up to the five ministers to push for the commercialization of GMOs so that Kenya's farmers can begin to grow the crops as soon as next year.
