Farmers and consumer lobby groups under the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (Biba Kenya) have said that the introduction of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) will renege on farmers' rights.
Biba Program Officer, Lyn Mbatia said farmers are supposed to have the right to control their seeds and produce just like it has been since time immemorial.
She said the introduction of GMOs would come with monopolistic seed sources with only a few seed multinational seed companies controlling the food system.
She added the GMO seeds are patented which will deal a big blow to farmers because there will be an upsurge of court cases due to issues surrounding infringing on patents.
“GMOs threaten the farmers’ seed sovereignty and crawl backs on their rights,” said Mbatia who was speaking during a one-day workshop for farmers and religious leaders in Nakuru.
She said Biba is a member organisation with consumer groups, animal health organisations, consumer grassroots groups, farmers groups and Community-Based Organisations in the country.
She added that the association supports conservation agriculture while at the same time ensuring food safety.
“Biba has organised a sensitisation forum for religious leaders to learn more about GMOs) food safety, health, seed and food sovereignty so that they can be part of the advocacy and lobby groups,” she said.
Mbatia observed that religious leaders were a critical group in society that can influence decision-making on different platforms.
She said Biba makes sure that the public is aware of issues of concern regarding the environment, health, food safety and biodiversity conservation through agroecology.
“Agroecology ensures that the farming practices that are being done by the farmers are safe for human consumption, the environment,” said Mbatia.
She added that most of the religious leaders being trained were also farmers in their personal capacities
Mbatia said agroecology was more productive and farmers grow crops efficiently in the right way thereby getting the right food quality.
“Biba Kenya also insists that besides the quantity of the food produced, it is also great to have good quality food,” she said
Rev Samuel Turi from the Turi area of Molo promised that he will teach about good agriculture practices alongside preaching to his congregations
He added that he learned the differences between GMO and hybrid adding that introduction of the modified organisms would kill local small seed manufacturers.
Tutu said it was wrong to criminalise seed sharing among farmers.