NAIROBI, Kenya, May 12 – The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) has launched a nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at demystifying genetically modified organisms (GMOs), as the agency moves to tighten regulatory oversight and decentralize its operations across the country.
The campaign began in Machakos County on May 12, 2025, and is expected to roll out to Trans Nzoia and Busia counties later in the week, following previous engagements in Vihiga, Bungoma, Kisii, and Bomet, among others.
The outreach effort coincides with the launch of NBA’s 2023–2027 strategic plan, which identifies public awareness, compliance enforcement, and institutional policy development as key priorities for the regulator.
Speaking at the plan’s unveiling, Agriculture Principal Secretary Kipronoh Ronoh said public misunderstanding around biotechnology, particularly GMOs, continues to hamper uptake, especially among farmers. “We need to ensure that decisions are driven by science, not fear,” he said.
As part of its strategy, NBA will establish six new border offices to strengthen GMO monitoring and compliance at entry points. The move comes amid rising imports of GMO-based products and growing scrutiny over bioengineered crops and foods.
The authority is charged with overseeing GMO handling, including imports, research, and commercial use, in line with Kenya’s Biosafety Act and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety—an international treaty regulating the movement of living modified organisms.
NBA board chair Prof. Jenesio Kinyamario said the decentralization effort is intended to reinforce biosafety standards at the grassroots, while acting CEO Nehemiah Ngetich noted that Kenya’s legal and regulatory frameworks are already in place to support responsible biotechnology use.
By Phineas Munene
