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Activites in Biosafety of Biotechnology handled at KEPHIS |
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Page 1 of 2 INTRODUCTION
Biosafety is a concept that refers to measures put in place to mitigate or protect human health and the environment from possible adverse effects of the products of modern biotechnology. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety provides a comprehensive and holistic regime designed to ensure that the development, handling, transport and use of products of modern biotechnology are undertaken in a manner that maximizes benefits while preventing or reducing risks to the environment and human health. The Protocol is a subsidiary agreement to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Kenya signed the Biosafety Protocol in 2000 and fulfilled the ratification requirements in 2003. Science and Technology is the host of National Biosafety Committee (NBC), the techinical arm of the Council charged with the mandates of overseeing coordination and implementation of biosafety issues. The roles of the NBC include receiving, reviewing ad making decisions on applications to introduce/develop biotechnology products for research or commercial purposes into the country. The NBC platform is a broad one with multi-stakeholder representation. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), the Public Health Department and the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB) are among the key biosafety regulatory agencies represented on the NBC.
KEPHIS:
- Vigilances for the Government and industry on matters of
- Plant health and quality control.
- Plant variety protection-testing and release of new varieties.
- Seed inspection and certification
- Oversight of plant related national biosafety regulations.
- Monitoring of quarantine and containment facilities for trials of GMOs of plant origin.
- Safeguards against importation of unauthorized GMO into Kenya, such as GM crops,unmilled grain, seeds, micro-organisms and regulated articles.
In this regard:
- Import Permits are issued with conditions requiring declaration of GM status. This is confirmed through lab tests.
- Letters to certify GM status for specific export commodities are issued on request after tests have been done.
- Unmilled grain and u processed foods, seeds and plant material are checked for presence of unauthorised genetically engineered processes/ expressions.
- All the trials with plants are so far considered as quarantine facilities and are approved and monitored through KEPHIS
- Release of new varieties is undertaken according to the National Variety Release System which is supervised by KEPHIS and includes certification of genetic conformity.
The institution is represented as:
- Member of the National Biosafety Committee - NBC and serves as an observer/advisor at Institutional Biosafety Committees - IBCs
- The Secretariat of the Kenya Standing Technical Committee on Imports and Exports - KSTCIE
- Member of National Food Safety Coordination Committee
- Member of National Codex Committee
- Participant in major international forums including the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Taskforce on Food derived from Recombinant DNA Plants of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, IPPC standard setting body, the Commission on Phytosanitary Measure etc.
Capacity building Activities
- Lab capacity to detect GM materials has been strengthened
- Staff continue to be trained for GMO detection and Decision making.
Monitoring and testing
- Development of specific protocols is on-going
On-going work on genetically engineered plants
- There are NO genetically engineered products that are officially released in the country.
- Some of the Activities that have been approved for trial purposes include testing of Efficacy of Bt genes in Cotton and Maize, trials on sweet potato and cassava. Various proposed trial activities are underway.
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