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Since its inception, ISAAA AfriCenter has worked relentlessly towards delivering benefits
of modern biotechnology tools to smallholder African farmers. Our efforts have contributed
towards increased adoption of biotech crops in the region, from three in 2018, to eight in
2022. Additionally, a decade-long ban on importation of genetically modified (GM) crops in
Kenya was finally lifted, highlighting the significance of intentional, consistent and
concerted efforts towards overcoming policy hurdles.
AfriCenter has long championed for an enabling environment for biotechnology development in
Africa. We work towards ensuring that policy and decision makers are alive to local and
global progress on agri-biotech and biosafety through various platforms, including policy roundtables, national dialogues and through our pioneer
seeing-is-believing biotech study tours. Our
efforts, in collaboration with the private sector, resulted in a favorable policy shift in
Kenya, in a bid to address the country's feed shortage that was declared a national
emergency in 2021. However, recent parliamentary debates have laid bare misinformation among
legislators, highlighting the need to intensify outreach among policy circles. In a bid to
promote national and regional One Health (OH) collaboration and governance, ISAAA AfriCenter
mapped out OH influencers in four African countries, identified their linkages and levels of
influence towards operationalizing OH goals. These efforts will contribute towards effective
implementation of the One Health approach.
In our core knowledge-sharing program, the Center unceasingly served information needs of
different stakeholders with credible scientific information on global trends and
socio-economic impacts of agri-biotech. We developed and updated several easier to
understand knowledge products, such as a second edition of our popular Genome Editing in Africa's Agriculture
booklet. These were disseminated through various channels, including our website that has
approximately 5000 views per month. Our monthly e-newsletter, the DrumBeat, continued to highlight bioscience expertise in the
region, as well as popularize the OH approach, to over 6000 active
subscribers. Over 20 short videos were also developed and disseminated through
social media as well as screened in various stakeholder workshops, reaching over 100,000
viewers.
To facilitate dialogue and foster public participation, the Center, together with key
partners, held various impactful awareness creation and outreach activities. We supported
establishment of four Bt cotton demonstration plots in eastern and western Kenya which were
used for peer-to-peer experiential learning, exposing the technology
to approximately 2000 farmers. These study visits are expected to improve farmers' agronomic
practices, leading to successful and sustained commercial planting of Bt cotton in Kenya.
The Center also facilitated a gender-responsive farmers' participatory varietal selection (FPVS) event for GM cassava, as well as several
seeing-is-believing study tours to the GM cassava field trial site, for various
stakeholder categories. These engagements have created demand for GM cassava, while data
from FPVS will guide selection of varieties to advance to National Performance Trials.
In our continued quest to build the capacity of those who play a role in shaping public
opinion on agricultural innovations, we held four science communication training workshops,
targeting over 300 experts, representing close to 30 African countries. A key output was
during the Annual Meeting of African Science Academies (AMASA), where close to 100
scientists from 25 National Science Academies had gathered to discuss issues on sustainable
agriculture and food systems in Africa. Following our session that challenged them to engage
the public on the protracted GMO debate, experts felt the need to hold a press briefing and set the record straight. The
AfriCenter also engaged close to 60 One Health experts from academia and relevant key-line ministries by
strengthening the soft-skills needed to effectively work together across sectors in order to
effectively operationalise the One Health approach.
At ISAAA AfriCenter, media engagement forms part of our core-mandate. We conducted more than
20 media events reaching over 200 journalists, via 5 media science cafes on various topical
issues, several study tours to Bt cotton farmer demonstration plots, GM cassava field trials
and feed millers. We continued to celebrate our journalists’ efforts and excellence through
the annual OFAB media awards. From our efforts, the
year 2022 recorded the highest number of accurate media stories (200+) on GMOs, garnering
more than 100 million media impressions. A critical mass of journalists and editors armed
with factual knowledge on agri-biotech and biosafety has been built thanks to our media
engagement program.
Over the years, ISAAA AfriCenter has successfully provided several multi-stakeholder
engagement platforms showcasing the Center's exceptional convening power. This unique
strength enabled us to host a successful side-event during the 2022 World Food Prize
symposium, co-hosted by African Development Bank, Iowa State University, USAID,
Bayer Crop Science, URUS, AATF, Africa Union, and CSIR. Our team also hosted a mini side-event during COP15, a United
Nations biodiversity conference, bringing together African regulators to share their
experience with domestication of the Cartagena Protocol on biosafety. We believe that sticks in a
bundle are unbreakable. Consequently, ISAAA together with like-minded partners initiated the
Biodiversity Innovation Coalition during this international
conference. The coalition will work together to promote integrative innovation for the
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. As we gear up for the next global
biosafety negotiations, we call on all partners and well-wishers to join us in supporting
our
efforts towards building the capacity of Africa's future negotiators.
Our convening ability also enabled us to bring together regulators and animal biotechnology
practitioners from 12 countries, in collaboration with Acceligen and Agriculture &
Food Systems Institute. The platform presented a unique opportunity for peer-to-peer
learning that will assist in the development of necessary technical and regulatory
frameworks to allow for commercialization and trade in the products of animal biotechnology.
The Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication (ABBC) symposium has established itself as an
authoritative African-based and African-led multi-stakeholder engagement platform. ABBC
plays a fundamental role in addressing pressing communication issues needed to propel
bioscience innovations in Africa. The African Coalition for Communicating about Genome
Editing, whose idea was birthed in ABBC2019, and officially launched during ABBC2021,
has
already created three chapters in Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria. The Ethiopia and Kenya
chapters put together a winning proposal that has paved way for the recently launched Striga Smart Sorghum for Africa
project. ABBC2023, scheduled for August 22 - 24, will once again bring together
stakeholders in the agri-food sector to decipher evolution of genetic improvement and best
bet communication practices. ABBC2023 EARLY REGISTRATION is on-going so don't be left
out! I invite like-minded partners to join us in building on ABBC 2023's proposed focus in
order to make the fifth edition a resounding success.
I remain inspired by Africa's spirit of Ubuntu - the belief in a universal bond that
connects all humanity - and call on all our friends and partners to continue working
stronger together. The progress this far has been made possible by many
valued partners whose trust, dedication and commitment continues to motivate us. We look
forward to continued support and collaboration in the years ahead. The successes of ISAAA
AfriCenter are rooted in the great leadership modeled by our Governing Board - we are because you are - we thank you!
As the curtain falls on 2022, I take this opportunity, on behalf of the AfriCenter family,
to wish you and your loved ones a refreshing festive season and a prosperous 2023.
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