Kenyan court blocks lifting of Ban on GM crops

According to local media reports, a Kenyan court has temporarily halted the government’s intention to relax a restriction on the importation and distribution of genetically modified (GM) crops and animal feeds.

It comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the Kenyan Peasants League, a lobbying organization for small-scale farmers. According to the group, the ban’s lifting was “not procedural and unlawful.”

As the nation struggled with a serious food deficit brought on by four poor wet seasons, the government last month decided to lift a 10-year ban on GM crops.

Following the lifting of the embargo, Kenyan farmers were free to publicly grow GM crops and import GM-made food and animal feeds, including white GMO maize.