Stakeholders in GMOs discussion Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (BIBA Kenya), a network of smallholder farmer groups, civil society groups, Community-based organizations (CBOs), Faith-based
Organizations (FBO) and Consumer networks, has greatly disheartened by the Cabinet Secretary for Trade, Hon. Moses Kuria’s announcement yesterday in response to the ongoing food shortage in the country, the government is in the process of importing 10 million bags of duty-free GMO maize to feed the hunger-stricken Kenyans in the country.

This comes in the wake of Billionaire Bill Gates’s announcement on the need to embrace genetically modified food technologies to address food insecurity in Kenya.

BIBA has various concerns focus on risks factors associated with GMOs foods.
1. Importation and introduction of GM maize is going to directly interfere with the rights of
consumers, it contravenes provisions of Kenyan Constitution which makes it mandatory
to provide information to consumers. Sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya,
our leaders have a fundamental responsibility to protect Kenyans and lives of Kenyans
2. Labelling; As a farmers and consumer representative body, we ask that mechanism for
effective approved labelling for all genetically modified food is done to ensure our
people make choices on whether or not to consume genetically modified food.
3. Corporatization of our food. There are socio-economic effects associated with GM seed
including increased use of herbicides, and pesticides. The commercialization of
agriculture and push by multinationals is aimed at facilitating agricultural sector take-
over from local small-holder to biotech multinationals companies control with interests
in GM seed, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides global trade. Mexico is in the
process of phasing out gm maize from US, why is Kenya opening up its market to be the
dumping grounds for gm foods which have been rejected in other parts of the world?
4. Independent research; According to the Seralini study which was published and later
politically withdrawn from a scientific journal and later proven correct and republished,
a GM variety fed on rats, showed development of tumors in these mammals. We
challenge our local scientists to undertake research independently on safety of GMOs
for objectivity and avoid corporate capture.
5. It is needful for the government to go slow on the issue of GMO by denouncing the
plans to import GM foods, and consider non-GMO food options available in both local,
regional and international markets. Pope Francis recently called for change of lifestyles,
by considering safe alternatives and rich food biodiversity to build nutritional health and
alleviate hunger amongst our communities

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Recommendations:
We demand that
 The 10 million duty free GMO maize importation plan be immediately dropped and the
government considers a non-GMO food importation arrangement,
 Government puts in place a robust institutional capacity to carry out risk and food
safety assessments before introduction of GMO and any other related questionable
technologies.
 Food security starts with food safety, we ask that the government exhausts all other
known safe food options before they can think of GMOs. The UN Synthesis Report
(IAASTD) clearly stated that GMO is not a solution to chronic hunger or poverty and the
government needs to address the structural issues including water, storage, market
linkages and general infrastructure challenges faced by our smallholder farmers.
 As espoused in our Constitution, the Government should be in the forefront in
safeguarding our local food and seeds systems through embracing safe and sustainable
food production methods like agroecology including promotion of Farmer Managed
Seed System (FMSS).
 The government sets up a monitoring mechanism to aid in redress, should this
technology cause harm to both human health and environment (polluter pay principle).