Wednesday, August 31, 2011

GMOs in International Aid Policy

Kenya is officially allowing the importation and growth of genetically modified organisms in their country. The National Biosafety Authority has approved GMOs and created regulations that allow fr GMO sale in the country.

Kenya's agriculture agency still has to create a system that allows an accepting farmer to grow GM maize without it spreading or contaminating a neighbor farmer who does not wish to use GMO crops. The approval of GMOs in Kenya is considered a great victory in the United States, especially for US based seed companies. Monsanto is already involved with field trials of GMO cotton and cassava. The country's biotechnology research programs are funded by Monsanto and also some projects are funded by the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation.

Hilary Clinton has encouraged Kenya to "welcome new technologies to bolster drought tolerance, disease resistance and crop yields". She has included GM technology as a strategy for long-term US food aid as is described in this Daily Nation Article, "US Urges long-term food aid for Kenya".

The seeds in USAid-funded programs including the Programme for Biosafety Systems were provided by American multi-national corporations.

Read more from this Daily Nation Article "US hand in embracing genetic products"

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