The Kenyan government's move to import GMOs for human consumption has faced a setback as the appellate court ruled the move is contrary to the public interest. The appellate court declined the government's appeal until the interests of the public are heard. On 25 May 2023, a panel of three appellate judges stated the application by Kenya's Attorney General Justin Muturi "lacked merit", adding that "the public interest test was not met", according to local media. Concerns remain over the health and environmental risks of GMO products. The Kenyan High Court is also hearing another case, filed by the Kenyan Peasants League. The League opposes the government's decision to impose GMOs, arguing that allowing their cultivation and consumption is unlawful and that the government did not consult the public. Furthermore, the League asserts that GMO products pose health risks. As a result of the ongoing case, the Kenyan government is prohibited from importing or distributing GMO crops and food until a final verdict is reached. If the Kenyan Peasants League wins the case, the Kenyan government may be permanently banned from importing GMOs. AllAfrica.com

 

 

Nigeria's former chief biosafety regulator the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr Rufus Ebegba, says his appointment was due to opportunities facilitated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). AATF is Gates-funded specifically to promote not just the public acceptance of GMOs in Africa but also their regulatory approval and commercialisation. AATF's executive director expressed gratitude from AATF's board and management for Ebegba's leadership in biosafety matters in Africa and particularly Nigeria. He noted that Ebegba built a biosafety system for Nigeria that serves as a model for other African countries. As Nigeria's chief biosafety regulator, the AATF-trained Ebegba oversaw the approval of a GMO maize licensed by AATF as part of a project funded by the Gates Foundation and USAID, both of which also fund AATF to promote the regulatory approval of GMOs! The Gates Foundation's funding of AATF is substantial. For instance, AATF got $32M to promote awareness of the benefits of GMOs and legislation enabling approvals in African countries, plus another $27M to fund the approval and commercialisation of GMO maize. Although the AATF-trained Ebegba has just stepped down as Nigeria's chief biosafety regulator at the NBMA, AATF already has the ear of Agnes Asagbra, Ebegba's replacement as NBMA's director-general. GMWatch on Twitter @GMWatch

 

 

An application to field trial GM perennial ryegrass as "more nutritious" animal feed has been withdrawn. The civil society group GeneEthics had told the GMO regulator, the OGTR, that the trial could not be contained and more weeds would result. Grown as a pasture and lawn grass, the plant is also an aggressive, invasive weed that would spread more widely. If approved, more herbicides would be sprayed, adding to their $5 billion annual cost, says GeneEthics. GeneEthics

 

 

In Quebec, Canada, on 26 May, protestors marched to denounce the influence of GMO and pesticide lobbies on the agri-food system, in response to the recent decision to let the industry regulate itself in the case of new GMOs created via genome editing. The protest took the form of a funeral march to mark the death of choice, transparency, independent science and democracy at the hands of the agrichemical lobby. GMWatch on Twitter @GMWatch

 

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