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Zambia Steps Up: NBA Rolls Out New Guardrails for Trade in GM Commodities and Crop Trials

July 28, 2026

Zambia Steps Up: NBA Rolls Out New Guardrails for Trade in GM Commodities and Crop Trials

By Christopher Simuntala, Zambia has taken a significant step toward strengthening its biosafety governance with the validation of four landmark regulatory guidelines that will shape the country’s biotechnology landscape for years to come. Developed through an extensive consultative process led by the National Biosafety Authority (NBA), the new guidance documents establish comprehensive national standards for []

Biotech Africa: Fostering Informed Decisions through Credible Biotech Information

July 28, 2026

Biotech Africa: Fostering Informed Decisions through Credible Biotech Information

By: Dr. Godfrey Ngure, Africa’s agricultural biotechnology landscape is evolving rapidly. Today, nearly 4 million hectares of biotech crops are grown across the continent, representing a 3.6% increase from the previous year. Six biotech crops – cotton, maize, soybean, cowpea, cassava, and potato – are now part of Africa’s agricultural landscape, while 10 countries are []

SBSTTA-29: What is in it for the youth and Africa’s future biodiversity negotiators?

July 28, 2026

SBSTTA-29: What is in it for the youth and Africa’s future biodiversity negotiators?

By Dr. Paul Chege, As the Twenty-ninth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-29) gets underway in Nairobi, Kenya, many young scientists, biosafety regulators, researchers, students, and communicators may wonder what relevance such a highly technical meeting holds for them. The answer is simple: this is where tomorrow’s biodiversity decisions []

Kenyan Feed Manufacturers Want Access to Biotech Feed Ingredients to Save the Ailing Feed Sector

July 17, 2026

Kenyan Feed Manufacturers Want Access to Biotech Feed Ingredients to Save the Ailing Feed Sector

Feed millers in Kenya have warned that the rising costs and chronic shortages of animal feed raw materials will persist unless they are allowed to access affordable biotech feed ingredients that are readily available on the global market. The millers, drawn from the Association of Kenya Feeds Manufacturers (AKEFEMA), said escalating costs and persistent shortages []

Strengthening agricultural innovation in Africa through access to biotech information

June 30, 2026

Strengthening agricultural innovation in Africa through access to biotech information

Have you ever searched for something and had to go through many cumbersome websites, only to come away with very limited information? That frustrating cycle of clicking, scanning, and second-guessing sources is all too familiar to most of us, whether you are a researcher, a regulator, in the private sector, or a general biotech stakeholder. []

From Mapping to Action: Somalia, Malawi, and Zambia Validate One Health Stakeholder Net-Mapping Findings

June 30, 2026

From Mapping to Action: Somalia, Malawi, and Zambia Validate One Health Stakeholder Net-Mapping Findings

Stakeholders from Somalia, Malawi, and Zambia have validated the findings of country-specific One Health stakeholder net-mapping exercises conducted by ISAAA AfriCenter under the Capacitating One Health in Eastern and Southern Africa (COHESA) project. The validation meetings, held between 18 and 23 June 2026, provided a platform for reviewing stakeholder relationships, refining recommendations, and identifying pathways []

European Parliament Gives Final Approval to New Genomic Techniques Regulation

June 30, 2026

European Parliament Gives Final Approval to New Genomic Techniques Regulation

The European Parliament has given final approval to a landmark regulation on plants developed through New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), marking one of the most significant changes to European biotechnology legislation in more than two decades. The new regulation establishes a dedicated framework for genome-edited plants and is expected to provide greater regulatory predictability, foster innovation, []

Biodiversity in Focus: Nairobi to Host Key Scientific Meeting Ahead of CBD COP-17

June 30, 2026

Biodiversity in Focus: Nairobi to Host Key Scientific Meeting Ahead of CBD COP-17

From 27 July to 1 August 2026, Nairobi will host the Twenty-eighth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-28) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The meeting will bring together government representatives, scientists, technical experts, indigenous peoples and local communities, and observers from around the world to deliberate on []

Africa-Based Biotech and Biosafety Information Portal Launched

June 11, 2026

Africa-Based Biotech and Biosafety Information Portal Launched

Africa has taken a major step toward strengthening access to credible biotechnology and biosafety information following the launch of a continental digital portal designed to make regulatory data easier to find, understand and use. The portal, dubbed the Biotech Africa Database platform, provides country-specific information on biotech crop approval decisions and summaries of []

Agricultural Scientists Sharpen Skills in Effective Science Communication

May 26, 2026

Agricultural Scientists Sharpen Skills in Effective Science Communication

By Lilian Cheruiyot Imagine spending years conducting intensive research in developing a disease-resistant crop that could provide millions of people with food, only for the breakthrough to gather dust on a library shelf or worse, get overshadowed by a wave of viral misinformation on social media. For far too long, a silent barrier has stood []

Genome-edited Banana approved for Field Trials in Kenya

May 26, 2026

Genome-edited Banana approved for Field Trials in Kenya

By Walter Langat A genome-edited banana developed to combat banana bacterial wilt (BBW) has been approved for field trials in Kenya, marking a significant step toward addressing a disease that continues to threaten banana production and farmers’ livelihoods across East Africa. The approval was granted by Kenya’s National Biosafety Authority after it determined that the []

Kenya Launches Bold Research Financing Masterplan to Drive Innovation-Led Growth

May 26, 2026

Kenya Launches Bold Research Financing Masterplan to Drive Innovation-Led Growth

By Dr Paul Chege, Senior Program Officer, ISAAA AfriCenter Kenya has taken a major step toward building a knowledge-driven economy following the launch of the Kenya Research Financing and Capacity Strengthening Masterplan on May 21, 2026. The Masterplan was officially unveiled by the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. []

Africa Forward Summit Seeks Green Solutions for Africa’s Natural Wealth

May 26, 2026

Africa Forward Summit Seeks Green Solutions for Africa’s Natural Wealth

By Peter Theuri Over 4,000 delegates, including 30 heads of state, gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for the Africa Forward Summit on May 11 – 12. Among key issues discussed was responsible utilization of the continent’s natural resources, with the Summit culminating in commitments to prioritize investment on climate resilience and environmental conservation. While a good []

Congratulations Prof. Mwaja

April 28, 2026

Congratulations Prof. Mwaja

Prof Vasey Mwaja – 1st Vice Chairperson AU Scientific Research and Innovation Council and Editor in Chief, Kenya National Academy of Science University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 2026 ACES Career Achievement Award recognizes College of Agricultural Consumer and Environmental Sciences alumni who have demonstrated exceptional professional achievement and or made extraordinary humanitarian contributions resulting in meaningful []

Why biotech research fails to reach the market in Africa

April 28, 2026

Why biotech research fails to reach the market in Africa

Research scientists in the laboratory using modern technology to develop enzymes for research work during enzyme manufacturing masterclass in Nairobi spearheaded by Kenyatta University and ISAAA AfriCenter African biotechnology researchers have been urged to integrate regulatory considerations earlier in their project design, amid concerns that many initiatives fail to secure approval and commercialisation due to []

How African Communities Are Restoring Ecosystems and Protecting Mother Earth

April 28, 2026

How African Communities Are Restoring Ecosystems and Protecting Mother Earth

Panelists group photo during a webinar on weaving stronger bonds for Planetary Health on April 22nd, the Earth Day As the world marked the International Mother Earth Day on April 22, 2026, the role of indigenous knowledge and community-led interventions in restoring degraded ecosystems came into sharp focus. During a webinar held to commemorate the []

Closing biosafety literacy gaps to unlock Africa research benefits

April 28, 2026

Closing biosafety literacy gaps to unlock Africa research benefits

Peter Theuri ISAAA AfriCenter Dr. Margaret Karembu, Director ISAAA AfriCenter holding a packet of gene edited sorghum seeds ready for planting for demonstration purposes in Western Kenya. Improvement of training and capacity building for researchers, strengthening of ethical oversight mechanisms, and enhancing data protection frameworks could go a long way in addressing gaps in biosafety []

Kenya must rethink strategies to feed citizens as climate change rears ugly head once again

March 26, 2026

Kenya must rethink strategies to feed citizens as climate change rears ugly head once again

By Peter Theuri Head of Digital Comms., ISAAA AfriCenter On the afternoon of March 6, days after the Kenya Meteorological Department had sent a circular warning Kenyans of potential flash floods, Nairobi, the capital city, was hit with the worst torrent in recent history, killing 23 overnight. As that was happening, millions of pastoralists and []

Building on STISA 24, the next phase (STISA 34) explores Africa’s socio-economic excellence

March 26, 2026

Building on STISA 24, the next phase (STISA 34) explores Africa’s socio-economic excellence

By Dr Joyce Ngure, Directorate of Science, Research and Innovation. After the lapse of The Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 24), experts, governments, institutions and African stakeholders consultatively developed STISA 34 as a means to its predecessor’s continuation and review. STISA 34 was developed to tackle emerging global and regional challenges as well []

IITA makes formal its Madagascar presence as it aims to transform Malagasy agriculture

March 26, 2026

IITA makes formal its Madagascar presence as it aims to transform Malagasy agriculture

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on February 27 formalized its presence in Madagascar following the signing of a Headquarters Agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MINAE) in the country’s capital, Antananarivo. This agreement grants IITA legal status in the country and sets the stage for long-term, science-driven agricultural investment. The legal []

Perspective on the Research Financing and Capacity Strengthening Masterplan Development Process

March 24, 2026

Perspective on the Research Financing and Capacity Strengthening Masterplan Development Process

By Dr Paul Chege, Senior Program Officer, ISAAA AfriCenter Kenya has given herself a roadmap to transform how it finances, governs, and leverages research for national development. In a context where ambition has often outpaced coordination and where innovation potential has not always been matched by predictable investment, the adoption of the Research Financing and []

Planting Power: How GM Technology and Grit Are Fueling a Woman Farmer’s Rise

February 24, 2026

Planting Power: How GM Technology and Grit Are Fueling a Woman Farmer’s Rise

By Dr. Paul Chege As ISAAA AfriCenter continues its series celebrating women farmers in this Year of the Woman Farmer, we turn our spotlight to a story that powerfully illustrates what happens when determination meets science – and when enabling policies open doors for innovation. In Tshwane Municipality in Gauteng Province, South Africa, 580 hectares []

The big pig gig: There was pork, and then there was none

February 24, 2026

The big pig gig: There was pork, and then there was none

By Peter Theuri From the outset, in a subtle disclaimer, grinning so you would not tell how much she means it, Jennifer concedes she no longer confidently identifies as a farmer. When we ask why, she puffs out her cheeks and then exhales steadily, her eyes momentarily distant as she recollects the rollercoaster happenings of []

Planting Power: How GM Technology and Grit Are Fueling a Woman Farmer’s Rise

February 20, 2026

Planting Power: How GM Technology and Grit Are Fueling a Woman Farmer’s Rise

By Paul Chege, PhD Fri, Feb 20, 2026 As ISAAA AfriCenter continues its series celebrating women farmers in this Year of the Woman Farmer, we turn our spotlight to a story that powerfully illustrates what happens when determination meets science – and when enabling policies open doors for innovation. In Tshwane Municipality in Gauteng Province, []