ISAAA AfriCenter is now an Excellence Through Stewardship (ETS) Associate member. ETS is a global organisation that promotes the adoption of product stewardship programs and quality management systems for the full life cycle of agricultural biotechnology products. As an Associate member, ISAAA will continue to support plant biotechnology and ETS’s mission by advancing messages on the responsible way to manage biotechnology-derived plant products from their discovery and development, to their use and eventual discontinuation. AfriCenter will also facilitate stakeholder engagement platforms that will enable key players to share best practices on the necessary systems and processes needed to establish stewardship and maintain quality in each phase of plant product lifecycle.

“As an independent entity, ISAAA AfriCenter is broadening its scope in search of opportunities that will enable us to continue offering our expertise, backed by a deep understanding of Africa’s agricultural biotechnology landscape” said Dr. Margaret Karembu, the Center’s Director.

The membership comes at an opportune time given effective messaging around stewardship is key now that biotech products are hitting the African market, with seven countries having approved commercial cultivation of biotech crops.