A High Court has upheld the government’s decision to lift the decade-long ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), rejecting a petition that claimed the authorization of GMO cultivation and importation violated the law.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) challenged the 2022 decision, arguing that the move posed health and environmental risks and lacked the necessary regulatory oversight, including Environmental Impact Assessments.
However, Justice Oscar Angote found that the regulatory bodies, including the National Biosafety Authority and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, had sufficient frameworks to oversee GMO usage, concluding that no evidence showed risks to human health or environmental safety.
The lifting of the ban initially aimed to address Kenya’s food security crisis, especially as the country faces its worst drought in 40 years, impacting agriculture significantly.
Supporters argue that GMOs can boost crop yields and resilience, providing a vital tool against food scarcity.
However, critics are concerned about the impact on small-scale farmers, who fear competition from subsidized and technologically advanced foreign agricultural products, especially from major GMO-producing nations like the United States.
Environmental groups have also raised concerns about biodiversity and the ecological impact of GMO crops.
The ruling is expected to continue sparking debates over Kenya’s agricultural future, balancing innovation against local and environmental considerations, especially for smallholders who dominate Kenya’s agriculture sector.
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