Kenya has lost an estimated $158 million (about 20.4 billion Kenyan shillings) in five years due to delays in adopting agricultural biotechnology, according to the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
Dr. Daniel Willy, Senior Manager, Policy, Agribusiness and Commercialisation at AATF, disclosed this during the ongoing World Congress of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) in Kenya.
He said biotechnology remains a crucial tool for improving crop varieties, boosting yields, and strengthening food security across Africa.
“You can use biotechnology, for example, to help crops protect themselves from pests,” Willy said, citing the case of Tella maize (Bt maize), engineered to resist stem borers and fall armyworms — two major pests affecting maize production.
He explained that adopting such biotechnology innovations significantly reduces crop losses and improves farmers’ income.
Willy added that AATF scientists have used biotechnology to enhance the nutritional value of crops, including fortifying maize with vitamin A to tackle nutritional deficiencies and extending the shelf life of tomatoes and other perishables.
“Biotechnology is one of the tools that can help farmers improve yields, mitigate drought impacts, and combat pests and diseases,” he said.
He noted that AATF had supported African scientists since the 1970s in developing hybrid varieties of maize, beans, and sorghum to strengthen the region’s agricultural productivity.
Highlighting success stories, Willy pointed to Nigeria’s commercialisation of the Pod Borer Cowpea — resistant to the maruca pest — as a biotechnology breakthrough on the continent.
“Bt maize is also commercialised in Nigeria and South Africa, and countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Mozambique are preparing to follow suit,” he said.
However, Willy observed that misinformation and conspiracy theories about biotechnology’s safety had slowed adoption across Africa.
“By delaying, we are losing a lot as a continent,” he warned, urging African nations to embrace evidence-based innovation to secure the future of food production.
