NAIROBI, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Kenya said Friday that it has a strong system in place to manage genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and related products.

In a statement issued in Kenya's capital of Nairobi, Nehemiah Ngetich, acting chief executive officer of the National Biosafety Authority, a state corporation, announced that the country has a well-established legal, regulatory, and institutional framework to provide streamlined processes for persons dealing in GMOs and their derived products.

"The system includes clear rules for applications, safety checks and monitoring processes," he said, noting that the framework aligns with Kenya's commitment to food safety, environmental protection and the socioeconomic wellbeing of citizens.

Last week, Kenya's High Court dismissed a petition challenging the government's lifting of a ban on GMOs and their derived products. After the country's Cabinet lifted the ban on GMOs in October 2022, lobbyists filed the case.

Ngetich said Kenya can supervise and control the transfer and handling of GMOs in a bid to ensure the safety of human and animal health and the provision of an adequate level of protection of the environment.

After Kenya approved the commercialization of Bt cotton in 2019, Ngetich said no adverse effects have been noted or reported since commercialization started.

Other crops, such as Bt maize and virus-resistant cassava, are at advanced stages of variety testing towards their commercialization, Ngetich said.

Kenya is a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which is a multilateral environmental agreement aimed at ensuring an adequate level of protection in the safe transfer, handling, and use of GMOs. Enditem

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