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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 key []

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, []

Breaking Silos: How Zimbabwe Is Redefining One Health Governance in Africa

January 27, 2026

Breaking Silos: How Zimbabwe Is Redefining One Health Governance in Africa

In a bold move, Zimbabwe has launched its National One Health Strategic Plan 2026 -2030, meant to address health threats at the intersection of humans, animals and the environment. This One Health strategy is a clear departure from the previous siloed approach and is meant to strengthen collaboration across sectors, combat endemic and emerging zoonotic []

Kenyan Agri-Stakeholders Push for Strategic Public Education on Safe Pesticide Use

January 27, 2026

Kenyan Agri-Stakeholders Push for Strategic Public Education on Safe Pesticide Use

Kenya’s agricultural stakeholders have called for a more strategic and coordinated approach to enhancing public sensitization on the responsible use of crop protection products while strengthening community resilience against misinformation. The call was made during a consultative meeting held in Nairobi, where participants emphasized that while agricultural innovations – such as pest control products – []

On Your Marks, Get Set!

January 27, 2026

On Your Marks, Get Set!

While 2025 was, in many ways, stellar, it showed us just how many possibilities lay ahead, and we have, thus, entered 2026 with special motivation. Amid the many wins as detailed in our Annual Letter dispatched last December, we sat to analyse what we could improve on, without losing sight of our overarching goal of []

Kenya Shines as OFAB Media Awards Go Pan-African in 2025

November 27, 2025

Kenya Shines as OFAB Media Awards Go Pan-African in 2025

Nairobi’s Ole Sereni Hotel came alive on Friday, 21 November 2025, as journalists from across the continent gathered for the 8th edition of the OFAB Africa Media Awards (OMAs), hosted by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). Since their launch as a continental competition in 2018, the OMAs have become a flagship platform for celebrating []

Kenyans Submit Comments on Proposed Commercialization of Biotech Cassava

November 26, 2025

Kenyans Submit Comments on Proposed Commercialization of Biotech Cassava

A new cassava variety, genetically improved against cassava diseases, may soon be available to Kenyan farmers if the country’s National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) approves it for commercialization. Developed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), the new cassava – called KingaKUU cassava – is resistant to Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Mosaic []

From Ghent to Bali: Africa’s Voice at 17-ISBR 2025

November 26, 2025

From Ghent to Bali: Africa’s Voice at 17-ISBR 2025

From 2nd – 6th November 2025, the Ghent ICC in Belgium hosted the 17th International Society for Biosafety Research (ISBR) Symposium under the theme “Cultivating Bio-Innovation for a Sustainable Future.” The in-person meeting convened scientists, regulators, policy actors and communicators from around the world to examine how biosafety research can keep pace with rapidly evolving []

Catalyzing Kenya’s Research and Innovation Future through a Research Financing Masterplan

November 26, 2025

Catalyzing Kenya’s Research and Innovation Future through a Research Financing Masterplan

Kenya has embarked on a transformative journey to strengthen its research and innovation ecosystem through the development of the Kenya Research Financing and Capacity Strengthening Masterplan (2026-2036). This ten-year blueprint is designed to create a predictable, sustainable, and inclusive framework for research financing, human capital development, and innovation. At the center of this process is []

Reflections from Ghent: Africa’s Quiet Momentum in Animal Biotechnology Regulation

November 26, 2025

Reflections from Ghent: Africa’s Quiet Momentum in Animal Biotechnology Regulation

Dr. Godfrey M. Ngure Program Officer, ISAAA AfriCenter By the time the lunch break ended on 6 November, 2025, Ghent’s International Convention Center already felt like a second home. I had spent the morning immersed in the final sessions of the 17th International Society for Biosafety Research (ISBR) symposium, yet as we transitioned into the []