Volume 21 - World Federation of Science Journalists

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Vol. 21 NOVEMBER 20th, 2012 - JANUARY 20th, 2013 Kshs. 100 Tshs. 2000 Ushs. 3000AFRICA’S LEADING PUBLICATION ON SCIENCE INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

ScienceAfrica Also Offers Well Researched Documentarieson All Aspects of ST&I in Africa:

n VIDEO COVERAGE n NEWS CLIPS n FEATURES

Tel: 020-2053532, Cell: +254 722 843101 / 721 248761

SCIENCE JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP

ScienceAfrica’s leading writ-er George Achia has been awarded an IDRC/SciDev.

Net Science Journalism Fellow-ship for 2013.

The internship offered with support from Canada’s Interna-tional Development Research Centre (IDRC) and implemented by SciDev.Net allows early-career science journalists to work for six months with the editorial staff of both SciDev.Net’s regional offices and its main office in London.

The fellowship starts in Janu-ary and ends in June 2013.

During the period, George will work for SciDev.Net and make up to four reporting trips to other countries in the Sub-Saha-ran Africa region to produce both news and feature articles.

George is the journalist select-ed from East Africa with another journalist from the Middle East and North Africa region. While congratulating this beneficiary, SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan coor-dinator Ochieng Ogodo said the fellowship gives the journalists opportunity to report from their own country and within the re-gion as well as horn their skills in science journalism. n

ScienceAfrica Journalist Wins Top Fellowship

Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease otherwise known as Corn Lethal Necrosis (CLN) Disease was first

reported in September 2011, in the lower parts of Longisa division of Bomet district. In February 2012, it was noted in Bomet Central division, spreading into neighbor-ing Chepalungu district, Narok North and South districts, and Naivasha.

In April 2012, the disease spread into Sotik, Kainon, Transmara, Rumuruti, Kisii, Biveti, Kericho, Mathira East, Im-enti South and Embu. According to field studies, it was observed that the disease is affecting all maize varieties grown in these regions. Reported yield loss in affected fields ranged from 30-100%.

Solutions:nCarrying out strategic research for

tolerance and resistance

nCapacity building along value chain for disease and pest management

nEstablishing a system for pest and disease forecasting and early warning

nEstablishing a centralized data bank and backup systems

nFormulating and implementing policies on handling of emerging pest and disease epidemics.

Cont. on Page 9

Exclusive: Scientific Insight into New Maize Disease Threatening Kenya’s Food Securityl Loses 30-100 Percent and affects all maize varieties l Caused by a co-infection with Maize Chlorotic Mottle

Viruses (MCMV) and Sugarcane Mosaic Virus (SCMV) or any other cereal viruses

GMO Food Ban: Was Kenya’s Public Health Ministry Misled?

Don’t Miss the Next Issue

Selected Scientific and

Technical Papers from

KARI - Pages 9 to19

SPECIAL ISSUE

EDITORIAL:Next

Government Must Increase Funding and

Elevate KARI’s Status- Page 7

R E S E A R C H U P D AT E

What has clearly come up as shoddy study by French sci-entist Seralini et al. is being

branded as having insufficient scientif-ic intergrity or quality needed for safe-ty assessments. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concludes that the currently available evidence does not impact on the ongoing re-evaluation of glyphosate and does not call for the reopening of the safety evaluations of

maize NK603 and its related stacks.The Seralini paper has caused much

uproar in Kenya where the ministry of public health, without consulting local biotech experts, seems to have unwit-tingly fallen into the complex world of “antibiotech groups” who boast of the ban as a major propaganda breakthrough. Kenya has some of the world’s most credible biotech experts willing to publicly discuss all aspects

of biotechnology including perceived dangers.

Final review of the Séralini et al. (2012a) publication on a two-year rodent feeding study with glyphosate formulations and GM maize NK603 as published online on 19 September 2012 in Food and Chemical Toxicol-ogy. qFull version of the EFSA abstract on Page 2.

European Food Safety Authority Denounces Seralini’s anti-GM Food Study

nFly Maggots that clean wounds and kill drug resistant germs will soon be the norm in the biomedical world and KARI researchers at Trypanosomiasis Research Centre are at par with world’s best.nLarva secretions that is effective against Methicillin Resistant Streptococcus aureus (MSRA), a leading cause of amputations and death for affected patients.Full version of the scientific paper on 2

Fly Maggots for the Treatment of Chronic Wounds in Kenya

An effective “Infection and Treat-ment Immunization” against the East Coast Fever spearheaded by Kenya Agricultural Research Insti-tute, Veterinary Research Centre and the International Livestock Research Institute has finally been launched in Kenya after years of un-successful attempts.

Effective East Coast Fever Vaccine

Finally Launched

- Page 2

F A L S E R & D

P L A N T PAT H O L O G Y

George Achia

2 NOVEMBER 20th, 2012 - JANUARY 20th, 2013

B O O K R E V I E W

ABSTRACTOn 19 September 2012, Séralini et al. published online in the scien-tific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology a publication describ-ing a 2-year feeding study in rats investigating the health effects of genetically modified maize NK603 with and without Roundup Weath-erMAX® and Roundup® GT Plus alone (both are glyphosate contain-ing plant protection products). As requested by the European Com-mission, EFSA reviewed this pub-lication taking into consideration assessments conducted by Member States and any clarification given by the authors.

The assessments of Member States and EFSA revealed an over-all agreement. The study as report-

ed by Séralini et al. was found to be inadequately designed, analysed and reported. The authors of Séra-lini et al provided a limited amount of relevant additional information in their answer to critics published in the journal Food and Chemical

Taking into consideration Mem-ber States’ assessments and the authors’ answer to critics, EFSA reaches similar conclusions as in its first Statement (EFSA 2012). The study as described by Séralini et al. does not allow giving weight to their results and conclusions as published. Conclusions cannot be drawn on the difference in tu-mour incidence between treatment groups on the basis of the design, the analysis and the results as re-ported.

Taking into consideration Mem-ber States’ assessments and the au-thors’ answer to critics, EFSA finds that the study as reported by Sé-ralini et al. is of insufficient scien-tific quality for safety assessments. EFSA concludes that the currently available evidence does not impact on the ongoing re-evaluation of glyphosate and does not call for the reopening of the safety evaluations of maize NK603 and its related stacks.

EFSA’s evaluation of the Séra-lini et al. article is in keeping with its role to review relevant scientific literature for risk assessment on an ongoing basis to ensure that the ad-vice it provides is up-to-date. n© European Food Safety Authority, 2012

V E T M E D I C I N E

An effective “Infection and Treatment Immunization” against the East Coast Fever

spearheaded by Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Veteri-nary Research Centre (VRC) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has finally been launched in Kenya after years of un-successful attempts.

The Parasitic disease East Coast fever (ECF) kills 1.1 million cat-tle (one every 30 seconds) in East, Central and Southern Africa caus-ing losses of $186 million annually. Countries hardest hit include Bu-rundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, DRC, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South-ern Sudan.

However, in Kenya four dec-ades of R&D activities spearheaded by KARI, VRC and ILRI resulted in the recent launching of the vaccine against ECF. It also involved collabo-

ration with Food Agricultural Organ-isation, Global Alliance for Livestock and Veterinary Medicine.

“Effective control of ECF and other livestock diseases is key to the realization of Kenya’s Vision 2030 objectives that mark a broadening of the agenda in agricultural pro-duction to include marketing, value addition and agri-business.” said Kenya’s minister for Livestock Mo-hammed Abdi Kuti in a speech read by director of veterinary service Dr Peter Maina Ithondeka.

“If no form of control measures is taken ECF would kill up to 100 percent of the exotic dairy cattle and half of the calves owned pastoral-ists,” he added.

The disease caused by the single-celled parasite, Theileria parva, transmitted by the brown ear tick (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus) is often fatal. Devastating clinical signs include reduced milk production,

anaemia, cardiovascular problems, cough, diarrhoea blindness, still-births and others. Livestock which recover from ECF retain immunity a clear pointer to the potential role of vaccines.

There are currently ongoing “In-fection and Treatment” immuniza-tion. involving concurrent injection with certain forms or development stages of various types T. parva and some antibiotics which limit the in-fection. KARI developed ITM vac-cine almost three decades ago.

However, more research work was needed to help experts better understand molecular biology of T. parva variants that are endemic to certain parts of the country. It means that an effective immuniza-tion needed a cocktail of these T. parva variants. Thus KARI, VRC and ILRI researchers have over the years improved ITM and is nowadays con-sidered safe and effective for use. n

KARI, Veterinary Research Centre, ILRI Set to Conquer East Coast Fever

European Food Safety Authority Denounces Seralini StudyS E R A L I N I G M F O O D C O N T R O V E R S Y

This is a new publication, hot-off the press by the ISAAA AfriCent-er office based in Nairobi. It is a

timely publication - the first and only of its kind providing the latest documented information about the advancements in agricultural biotechnology research and development in Kenya before and up to 2012. The book is targeted as a resource for policy makers seeking quick facts and figures to make decisions regarding bio-technology. It will also be a handy piece of informative literature for other stake-holders in the industry like researchers, farmers, donor groups and the media.

The handbook is divided into chapters giving details about - research and devel-opment for agricultural biotechnology in Kenya, funding for agricultural biotech-nology research and development, the status of agricultural biotechnology leg-islative environment, awareness creation activities on agricultural biotechnology, the status of agricultural biotechnology in Africa, global trends in the adoption of agricultural biotechnology and the inter-national instruments governing agricul-tural biotechnology.

Biotechnology techniques currently being used in Kenya to improve crop pro-duction include tissue culture, marker-as-sisted selection and genetic modification. In the livestock sector, the focus is largely on the development of vaccines and diag-nostic kits for effective vaccinations and accurate diagnosis for livestock diseases. Agricultural biotechnology is also applied in forestry to produce high quality seed-lings.

Some of the ongoing crop biotech pro-jects in Kenya include the Bt cotton, the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA), Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa (VIR-CA), Bio-fortification of Cassava for Af-rica, Africa Biofortified Sorghum (ABS), Drought Tolerant Maize for East and Cen-tral Africa and the Weevil-resistant Sweet potato project. According to the hand-book, a majority of these research pro-jects are public-sector driven and funded but with support and funding from donor agencies and the private sector.

The handbook also makes a case for the adoption of agricultural biotechnol-ogy in Kenya’s agriculture sector which is flailing. According to the government statistics, agriculture contributes ap-proximately 25% of the country’s GDP while employing more than 75% of the national labour force. However the sector has largely failed due to pests, diseases and unfavorable climatic factors. Biotech-nology is one of the tools which can help circumvent each of these challenges and thereby turn around the fortunes of farm-ers and other stakeholders in the agricul-tural sector. n

Mohammed Elmi (cen-tre), Kenya’s minister of state for development of northern Kenya and other arid lands and Romano Kiome (ex-treme right), permanent secretary in Kenya’s ministry of agriculture; Marjaana Sall (extreme left), deputy head of del-egation of the European Union to Kenya, Jimmy Smith (second left), director general of ILRI, at the launch of the Ken-ya Rural Development Programme (KRDP) at the KARI centre in Ki-boko, Makueni on 7 Sept 2012 (photo credit ILRI/Paul Karaimu).

Kenya Rural Development Programme Launched

3NOVEMBER 20th, 2012 - JANUARY 20th, 2013

CollaborationThe University of Eastern Africa, Baraton collaborates with a number of Research Institutions and Universities. We have memoranda of understanding with the African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Sciences (ARPPIS) hosted at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE),Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Finland, Diaconia Uni-versity of Applied Sciences, Finland, The University of Eastern Finland, University of North Karelia, Finland, University College Sjaelland, Denmark, Loma Linda University, U.S.A.and Support Africa International, Germany.Funded Research Activities in the School of Science and TechnologyApart from the locally funded research activities, there are activities funded by external funding sources, which include:1. Malaria Diagnosis Using Plasma and Selected Chemical Reactions funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This involves interdepartmental collaboration of the School of Health Sciences and School of Science and Technology. The Principal Investigator for this project is Ms. Jackie Obey, who collaborates with Prof. Fred Amimo and Dr. Zachariah NgaloOtieno-Ayayo, both of the Department ofBiological Sciences and Dr. Dixon Anjejo of the Department of Public Health The project received an initial grant of USD 100,000 and another similar amount after the first year of research for validation of the results.2. Using Seneciolyratipartitus Extract After Anal Ablution, funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Principal Investigator in this project is Prof. AsaphMaradufu of the

Chemistry Department, School of Science and Technology. The research is carried out in collaboration with Ms. Jackie Obey of the Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Sciences, with a funding of USD 100,000.3. The retention and partitioning of atrazine and its metabolites in Rivers Kimondi and Yala Wetlands in Lake Victoria Basin. This project was run by Mr. Shadrack Mule (who is nolonger with the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton) with funding from the National Council for Science and Technology4. Determination of retention rates and attenuation capacity of selected wetland systems for halogenated and non-halogenated hydrocarbons: Modeling and specialization. This project was run by Mr. Shadrack Mule (who is no longer with the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton), funded by Lake Victoria Research Initiative (VicRes)5. Pilot study to assess the acceptability pearl millet grain at micro and macro levels in rural Eastern Kenya. The Principal Investigator for this project is Dr. HellenMueniNdiku of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, School of Science and Technology, with initial funding of USD 10,000 from the Nestle FoundationRepresentative Publications in Peer Reviewed JournalsBett, N.K.,Nderu, J.N., &Hinga, P.K. (2012).Neuro Fuzzy Interface System Based Control of the Three Phase Hybrid Power Filter for Harmonic Mitigation Interna-tional Journal of Emerging Technology and Advance Engineering, 2(8), ISSN 2250-2459 (available online)

Chihava – Shoko, M., Sibanda, N., Sibanda, M.M. &Otieno-Ayayo, Z. N. (2012). Factors contibuting to bacterial diversity and load in Bulawayo restaurants, Zimbabwe.In Press, Baraton Interdisciplinary Research Journal.Mkandawire F. L., Kebaki D., Poblete A. Angwenyi N., Mule S. &Muchee T. (2012). Non-Food sweetpotato products for industrial production at Universityof East-ern Africa, Baraton. In Proceedings of the 6th JKUAT annual Scientific, Technological and IndustrializationConference held from November 16 to 18, 2011. Pp 588-592.Mkandawire F. L., Onyango, J. H. &Angwenyi, N. (2011) Evaluation of the market potential of Sweetpotato processed products. BaratonInterdisplinary Research Journal.1,29-38, 2011.Ndiku M, Jaceldo-Siegl, K., Sabat, J. (2010). Dietary patterns of children < 5 years old in Mwingi and Makueni districts of Ukambani region, Eastern Kenya.African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development, 10(7), 2804-2817.Ndiku, M., Jaceldo-Siegl, K., Singh, P.,&Sabaté, J. (2011). Gender inequality in food intake and nutritional status of children under five years old in rural Eastern Kenya.Eu-ropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition.65, 26-31Ndiku, M., Sabat, J., Singh, P., Jaceldo-Siegl (April 2009). Dietary patterns of children 0-59 months in Ukambani region of Kenya.FASEB Journal, 23:916.5 AbstractOtieno-Ayayo, Z.N., Ben-Dov, E., Cahan, R. , Manasherob, R. &Zaritsky, A. (2012).Response of three mosquito species to re-combinant bacterial toxins from Bacillus thuringiensissubsp. israelensisexpressed in two model systems, BaratonInterdisplinary

Research Journal2(1), 17 -32.Otieno-Ayayo, Z.N., Zaritsky, A., Wirth, M.C.,Manasherob, R., Khasdan, V., Cahan, R. & Ben-Dov, E. (2008).Variations in the mosquito larvicidal activities of toxins from Bacillus thuringiensisisraelensis.Environ-mental Microbiology10(9), 2191-2199Seroney, G.C., Minnie, K., Otieno-Ayayo, Z.N., Mulaudzi, F.M., &Nyangena, E. (2012).Knowledge, attitudes and practic-es of trained traditional birth attendants on HIV/AIDS, Kenya, BaratonInterdisplinary Research Journal2(1), 8 – 16.Terer, E.K. &Magut, H. (2012).Nitrate anion levels of well and river water along Kimondi, Nandi.In press, African Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry (AJPAC).Wakoli A. B,Ettyang G.A. &Lakati A.S. (2012)..” Title: Under nutrition of orphans and vulnerable children: a comparison of cash transfer beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries in Korogocho Slums, Nairobi. East Africa Journal of Public Health, 9(3), 2012-2612Book edited:FracksonLameckMkandawire and MkpadaMmaduabuchukwu(2011). Low Input Technologies for Sub-Saharan Africa Including a chapter written by the editor. Band 4, Peter LangVerlag, Frankfurt, Am Main, Germany 2011. Pp 120.Additional research activities are sum-marized at www.ueabresearch.roletech.net

Availed by Dr Zachary Otieno-Ayayo, Dean School of Science and Technology, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton - Kenya

Even though modern biotechnology is considered as the fastest adopted technology in the field of agricul-

ture, there is still much skepticism towards it. The debate surrounding the technology has been plagued with misinformation and complicated by scientific and regulatory topics which are often poorly understood by laymen and majority of consumers. It is also intertwined with other societal con-cerns such as food safety, animal welfare, industrialized agriculture, and the global role of large private-sector corporations. This means that the benefits of biotech crops still need to be strongly communi-cated to the public. The Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Af-rica is one of the initiatives that was estab-lished to facilitate knowledge-sharing and awareness creation on matters pertaining to agricultural biotechnology.

OFAB brings together key stakehold-ers and facilitates interactions between scientists, journalists, civil society, private sector, and policy makers among others. It aims to enhance knowledge-sharing and awareness that will raise understanding and appreciation of agricultural biotech-nology and contribute to building an enabling environment for decision mak-ing. The first OFAB chapter was launched in Nairobi, Kenya in September 2006. A collaborative initiative between the Afri-can Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) AfriCenter, the Kenyan chapter has paved way for the launch of 5 other chapters (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania).

In its formative stages, OFAB Kenya took the form of monthly meetings, fea-turing expert presentations, discussions and an opportunity for stakeholders to interact. The forum has however expanded its activities to include special sessions on need basis and county editions. OFAB has made major impacts in creating a fa-vorable environment for decision-making in regard to agricultural biotechnology. The forum has often provided a platform for discussion of key policy issues. For instance, in June 2012 the Executive Of-ficer of the Cereal Millers Association,

Mrs. Paloma Fernandes, was invited to give the millers’ views on the implications of the biosafety labeling regula-tions. The regulations had been met with an outcry from the biotech industry since they were likely to impede research and trade in GM products. The regulations include austere penalties of KShs. 20 million, ten years imprisonment or both for those contravening. Rather than ever face such penal-ties, traders and technology developers are most likely to shy away which in practice is similar to saying “No GMOs in Kenya”.

OFAB Kenya’s cover-age of key policy matters has also attracted attention of key policy makers. For instance, the Kenya Bureau of Standards chose OFAB as a platform to reach out to stakeholders and get views

on the biotechnology standards. Public review is one of the most fundamental stages in standard development. Another important issue covered this year by OFAB Kenya was the Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease which is wiping out the crop in a number of areas hence threatening the country’s food security. The disease has been erroneously linked to bioterrorism from some quotas and is most likely to influence formulation of some policies. This includes the on-going discussions to include a biosecurity clause within the

biosafety law. OFAB Kenya is also keen on strength-

ening capacity for biotechnology com-munication among various stakeholders. For example, the Forum held a training workshop on science communication for scientists and journalists on September 17th-18th 2012. The meeting brought to-gether 14 scientists and 10 journalists. This was one of the activities aimed at bridging the gap between scientists and the media for improved objectivity in coverage of agricultural biotechnology matters. One of the participants, Prof. Laila Abubakar of the University of Nairobi, said that apart from reaffirming their strengths, the meeting identified weaknesses they had lived with without notice. “As a result of the workshop, I feel I can now address the biotechnology uptake issues in a much more comprehensive and organized way,” she said.

Acceptance of any technology re-quires dialogue and inter-institutional collaboration among key stakeholders. This way, institutions are able to work in complement rather than competing and duplicating efforts. Constructive discourse and networking among stakeholders is therefore essential and will enhance their understanding and ability to communicate agricultural biotechnology issues. For the six years it has been in existence, OFAB Kenya has contributed a lot in enhancing the understanding of agricultural bio-technology. The Forum continues to offer participants an opportunity to network and form new linkages in addition to pro-viding current information and relevant resource-materials on topical agricultural biotechnology issues. o

Six Years of Facilitating Dialogue, Inter-Institutional Collaboration on Agricultural Biotechnology

S P E C I A L F E AT U R E O N O F A B

Baraton University: Summary R&D, Collaboration and PublicationsU N I V E R S I T Y R & D

Some of the top biotech experts who have made presentations during monthly OFAB luncheons. Top left Dr Jacob Mignouna, AATF; Top Prof James Ochanda, University of Nairobi and Dr Allan Liavoga, the Bio-Innovate Deputy Program Manager who is also a food safety expert


By George Achia

When banning the importation of GM food, Beth Mugo, the

minister for public health sur-prisingly said that the ban will remain in effect until there is enough information, data and knowledge demonstrating that GMO foods are not a danger to public health.

This comes as a shock for those who know - especially sci-entists- that there was minimal consultation with relevant reg-ulatory authorities before the contradictory announcement. The government instituted credible regulatory agencies such as the National Biosafety Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards and Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services, National Environment Man-agement Authority and others to ensure that GM foods have met the high standards of safety

set by these expert bodies work-ing for the public interest.

Dr Margaret Karembu, the director of Nairobi-based In-ternational Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), notes that this is a gag to research and regulatory bodies by the same government that created them.

She told ScienceAfrica that Kenya subscribes to CODEX Al-imentarius– an International Food Standards – which gives guidelines and codes of practice to protect the health of the con-sumers and ensure fair trade practices in the food trade. And, according to Karembu, CODEX, Food Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization and majority of international acade-mies of sciences have approved the safety of GM products.

At the same time, she points out that this ban sends a nega-tive signal to those wishing to

trade in biotech crops in Kenya.“We are concerned that the

government is putting up insti-tutions including Universities to develop technology and goes behind the curtain to gag their activities,” said Karembu.

“Safety of foods is a univer-sal attribute and it does not matter where the data is gener-ated. The available data locally and globally show that GMOs are safe for human consump-tion,” said Karembu.

She notes that despite the clear benefits of modern bio-technology towards food se-curity, poverty alleviation and socio-economic development, this science continues to be engulfed in controversy that threatens to thwart its real value.

And according to Dr Chris-topher Ngichabe, Kenya Agri-cultural Research Institute’s assistant director in charge

of biotechnology, the Cabi-net move is a surprise to the scientific community. This, according to him, would move the country backward in terms of adoptation of biotechnology.

“I am completely shocked that the Cabinet is living in denial. It is the same Cabinet which passed The Biosafety Act, 2009 into law. It received Presi-dential Assent on 12 February 2009 which instituted NBA,” said Ngichabe.

“The government ought to have sought the opinion from the experts. And it is clear that we do not respect our institu-tions and their mandate,” he added.

According to him, Kenya has a pool of experts and capacity to do research in biotechnology and even to ensure adequate level of protection in the de-velopment, transfer, handling and use of GMOs that may have

an adverse effect on the health of the people and the environ-ment.

He asserts that there are 29 countries which have commer-cialized biotech products and the remarkable thing is that 15 million of those were resourced poor farmers in developing countries.

However, Anne Maina, ad-vocacy coordinator at African Biosafety Network (ABN), ap-plauds the government’s deci-sion to ban the GMOs, saying the safety of such products is still questionable.

Quoting the already dis-credited anti-GM food study, Anne told ScienceAfrica that “with the recent Seralini study where maize variety NOK 603 was found to cause cancer in the lifetime of rats tested, the safety of GMOs are questionable.”

ABN is opposed to adoptation of modern biotechnology. o

Kenya: Ban on GM Foods Lacked Scientific ConsultationsB I OT E C H

S C I E N C E & D E V E L O P M E N T

By George Achia

Africa’s growth if not driven by a diversified production structure

especially in manufacturing sector that would deliver quality jobs and raise incomes, would remain fragile and susceptible to negative shocks, says Prof. Osita Ogbu, the director of the Institute for Development Stud-ies based at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He warns that the conti-nent’s growth is still very frail, noting that in spite of the im-pressive growth rates, Africa’s economic transformation has not occurred and any talk of structural shift is not backed by evidence.

While giving a key note ad-dress during the ATPS 2012 annual conference held in Ad-dis Ababa, Ethiopia titled The Fragility of the Recent Africa’s Growth and the Opportunity for Creating Jobs through a New Technology and Indus-trial Policy, Prof. Osita notes that Africa should not celebrate yet about its recent growth and continued prospects.

And, according to his paper,

there is an emerging consensus on new industrial and technol-ogy policy regime that if well crafted, contextualized and implemented, could stimulate greater manufacturing in Africa and lead to structural change.

Prof. Osita notes that his-torically, industrial policy in various shades has always been used by every nation to climb the industrialization ladder.

“Unfortunately, Africa’s initial attempts were not very successful. Rather than re-strategize, Africa and those advising her abandoned this strategy completely in spite of its being responsible for the basic industrial structure that currently exist,” he said.

According to him, there is now a greater opportunity for African governments and the sector to work together to address the problems that have hindered the emergence of a dynamic manufacturing sector in Africa.

However, Africa still has a number of opportunities to exploit.

“These opportunities in-clude the emerging consensus

in industrial policy, the rising cost of production in China, the youth force in Africa and the ex-istence of basic manufacturing hubs,” said Prof. Osita.

He spoke during the ATPS 2012 annual conference under the theme Emerging para-digms, technologies and in-novations for sustainable de-velopment: global imperatives and African realities which brought together researchers, academia, policy makers and innovators from different Africa countries.

The conference was reflect-ing on a post Rio +20 futures for Africa.

Despite all Africa’s pre-sumed economic growth, Prof. Osita notes that the continent’s growth is still very fragile.

“And for Africa to fast track its development and growth agenda, the continent needs growth based on industrializa-tion and Science, Technology and Innovation,” he told Sci-enceAfrica.

“There should be a link between STI policies and the economic agenda so that one can be seen to be driving the

other,” he added.Opportunity for Industrial Policy in Africa

He points out that new vista of opportunity now exists for Af-rica to re-engineer its industrial base including the emergence of a policy space arising from the utterances of political leaders and scholars around the world who are now embracing the partnership between the state and the market as necessary for re-engineering growth with jobs in what can be characterized as a forceful support for and return of open industrial policy.

“The rising commodity and mineral prices which pro-vide the foreign exchange and revenue that would be used to source technology, capital goods and equipment as well as to offer “smart subsidies” that are market friendly,” he said, adding that the seemingly de-clining Chinese competitiveness in the lower-end manufacturing opens up additional opportu-nity for Africa to exploit.

Prof. Osita called on African governments to give more at-tention to the manufacturing sector as it is critical for sus-

tained inclusive growth, innova-tion and creation of quality jobs.

“Africa’s structural shift will come from rapid growth in the manufacturing sector,” said Prof. Osita.

Youth unemployment prob-lem in Africa is so severe which constitute up to 30 per cent in many countries.

“The manufacturing sector that employs both skilled and unskilled labour can provide the platform for resolving these issues,” he pointed out.

He notes that the growth in the manufacturing sector occurs when entrepreneurs increase their demand for innovation which requires direct govern-ment actions.

“The government can facili-tate this through a robust indus-trial policy. The technological opportunities that now exist for low-end manufacturing means that Africa can leapfrog in order to innovate,” he said.

According to him, growth that is not driven by industriali-zation, in particular, a growing manufacturing sector is fragile and likely to still leave many unemployed and poor. n

Too Early to Celebrate Growth Prospects in Africa

AFRICA’S LEADING PUBLICATION ON SCIENCE INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The Best Analysis of Science, Technology and Innovation in Africa Tel: 020-2053532 / 2473370


By Maxwell Awumah (Ghana)

Legislative Instrument (LI) 1586, passed in 1994, bans the importation,

clearance and sale of used un-dergarments of any type, form or description, whether pur-chased, donated or procured in any other manner.

“The ban on used undergar-ments remains non-negotiable because it is essential for the nation’s long term public health safety,” says Kofi Nagetey, a microbiologist at the Ghanaian Standards Board (GSB).

“Undergarments absorb body and skin fluids in the form of sweats and discharges, which contain millions of disease caus-ing microbes including yeasts, parasites, molds, fungi, bacteria and virus. These garments can

serve as possible reservoir for organ and skin infections, when conditions become favorable.” Nagetey said.

“Body fluids which soil used undergarments can be injurious to the skin and hair. Ringworm, genital candidiasis and other infectious fungi with high pro-pensity to become dormant spores are a constant danger; normal laundering produces clean clothes, but does not nec-essarily kill all the microbes, ” he added.

Mr Nagetey said that these spores stay in the fabric but revive and multiply when the right temperature and moisture occur and these “bouquets of microbes” are responsible for the recurrent skin or genital infections experienced mostly by users.

However, it is a booming

business with importers con-tinuing to avail to members of the public these commodities including brassieres, pants, handkerchiefs, boxer shorts and other types of used garments because of laxity in enforce-ment.

The Imported garments become the first clothing line for majority of Ghanaians ir-respective of social status, race, ethnicity or religious attach-ment, despite renewed enforce-ment of the ban 19 months ago. Ghana’s Ports Authorities, Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Standards Board (GSB) have waged unrelenting crusade to cut-off the supply chain of the commodity due to health concerns.

However, bales of used un-dergarments are still confiscat-ed at the ports of entry through

random sampling processes. State institutions grapple to totally cut-off the supply-chain but the porosity of borders serving as conduits for smug-gling activities leaves much to be desired.

However, importers are skeptical and see the ban as misplaced. “The authorities should focus attention on poor environmental sanitation which poses serious health risks to the populace, because no medical facility has reported ailments associated with wearing of used undergarments,” executive member of the used clothing importers in Accra, Daniel An-komah says in report carried by Scidev.Net.

He wonders why research and science would not pay at-tention to chemicals used in spraying farms, recycling of

hospital equipment and the use of public latrines than waste re-sources and time on proscribing used undergarments.

“I believe there are much public health issues in these ar-eas than in undergarments. We usually wash them in bleach, other anti-microbes, denaturing substances and even dry them in the sun which helps to elimi-nate harmful germs,” Ankomah explains.

Majority of the populace would be naked, if used cloth-ing was entirely banned. That is the depth of the matter, the executive member adds.

Source: WFSJ Virtual Newsroom, Coordinator of (Francophone, Arabophone and Anglophone) First Virtual Science Newsroom Professor Gervais Mbarga, Canada.

Ghana: Dangers of Used Undergarments

By Ntaryike Divine Jr.

The 200m-deep Lake Nyos captured global attention1986 when it spewed large clouds

of carbon dioxide asphyxiating over 1,700 people and 3,500 livestock. It sits on a 1.5 square-kilometer crater on a defunct volcanic mountain in Cameroon’s remote northwest at the northern boundary of the Cameroon Volcanic Line, a zone of crustal weak-ness and volcanism.

Cameroon’s Lake Nyos (Top) threatens to kill over 1 million people because of flooding and disintegrat-ing natural barrier. It asphyxiated thousands of people and animals in August 1986.

However, this doomsday scenario is already causing tension between Ni-geria and Cameroon, a clear indication of the urgent need to harmonize or cre-ate regional water management poli-cies as Nigeria fears that the damage to crops, buildings and infrastructure will run into billions of Naira.

“The eventual failure of the dam will result in the discharge of about 55 million cubic meters of water which will result in flooding downstream. It is estimated that between the Camer-oon border and River Benue, some 50 settlements and over 15,000 hectares of land will be flooded,” said Zanna Muhammad, NEMA’s director of ad-ministration.

However, the Cameroon govern-ment has remained impassive, despite reiterated unease voiced by Nigeria over swelling of the collapse of a natu-ral barrier retaining the waters at its Lake Nyos.

Amid ravaging floods that killed hundreds wrecked farmlands and sub-jected most of West Africa to increased disease and famine between July and

September, Nigeria announced it had finalized a disaster-cushioning plan in expectation of an even more devastat-ing calamity lurking just across the border with Cameroon at Lake Nyos.

NEMA warned that a volcanic rock forming the natural barrier containing the lake waters has severely disinte-grated. It could snap at a short-notice or “any moment from now.” NEMA’s fears are hinged on a combination factors including ongoing erosion from rain, wind, the swelling lake wa-ters, potential volcanic eruption and earthquake.

But one month after the alert was issued; the Cameroon government has remained aloof. An official with the country’s Institute of Mining and Geological Research [IMGR] which monitors the lake has however toned down the NEMA jitters.

“Nigeria’s preoccupation is based on findings dating back almost a de-cade. But we regularly survey the lake and I can confidently state there’s no immediate cause for concern,” he said on condition of anonymity because he lacked authority to speak on behalf of

the government. “Nonetheless, the government

considers the matter sensitive. Nigeria has not contacted us to confirm any-thing, but unilaterally continues issu-ing these unscientific and dramatic alerts,” he added.

The NEMA panic has been regular since 2005 when the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the United Nations En-vironment Program (UNEP) issued a joint report warning the lake wall had seriously sagged and could crumple within a decade. The report recom-mended the dike be solidified with concrete, or some of the lake waters released to ease the pressure on it.

“The government has the projects under consideration. But you’ll agree with me they are expensive ventures to undertake for a cash-strapped gov-ernment, and besides it’s not a priority issue especially as our studies indicate there’s no immediate danger,” the IMGR source explained.

On August 21, 1986 when Lake Nyos coughed up large clouds carbon dioxide scientists thronged the scene-

from across the globe. They suspected that pockets of molten rock lying be-neath the lake leaked carbon dioxide into the water, causing it to change into unstable and toxic carbonic acid. They concluded that degassing the lake by installing pipes to drain off gas-filled bottom layer watersand allow the carbon dioxide seep out in safe quantities atop was the best bet in avoiding a recurrence.

The installation of the self-powered vent tubes was completed last year. Michael Halbwachs of the French gas-extraction company DATA En-vironnement led the project that spanned a decade. He said some 200 million cubic meters of carbon diox-ide ensnared beneath the lake will be pumped out within two years, eradi-cating all lingering dangers of another deadly outburst.

Meanwhile, an automatic alarm system has also been erected at the lake gateway to warn locals of any impending dangers.

However, the efforts have hardly mitigated the Nigerian apprehensions. In September, NEMA published a handbook designed to guide relief operations in the event of the Lake Nyos dam collapse. The document captioned, Lake Nyos Disaster Re-sponse Manual contains early warning system methods and detailed practi-cal measures to abate the impacts of the imagined adversity in the Benue, Adamawa, Taraba, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom states close to the border with Cameroon.


West Africa: Over 1m could Die if Lake Nyos Natural Barrier Collapses

Stories From World Federation of Science Journalists Virtual Newsroom

Edited by WFSJ Anglophone Virtual Newsroom Editor - Otula Owuor


By Bibi-Aisha Wadvalla (South-Africa)

Bright blooms of fuchsia and orange bougainvillea sway in vibrant contrast

above the still, wan- looking face of *Noluthando Vilakazi. The 36 year old domestic worker was diagnosed with cervical cancer in August 2010. She staunchly holds back tears, narrating her diagnosis, and subsequent loss. “When I told my husband the news, he left me.” The tears fall.

Vilakazi’s tale is not uncom-mon. In South Africa, over 7000 new cases are reported annually, with half resulting in death. An easily preventable and treat-able disease is silently killing South African women of lower socio-economic status because of stigma.

The same situation exists in Ghana, a country listed alongside South Africa as most affected by cervical cancer.Here, women, es-pecially from the rural areas, are reluctant to visit the health cen-tres for cervical cancer screening to avoid stigmatisation, in the event of testing positive for HIV. They hold the belief that there is a direct relationship between HIV and cervical cancer, and that both are the result of promiscuity. It is the same in South Africa.

A misconception exists that being tested for cervical cancer indicates a woman has con-tracted HIV.Dr Kwasi Yeboah Awudzi, Kumasi Metropolitan Director of the Ghana Health Ser-vice, asserts, “There is no direct relationship between HIV and cervical cancer.”Vilakazi’s ex-husband could not be convinced of the fallacy of his misconcep-

tions. He believed she slept with other men, therefore she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and possibly had HIV too.

Cervical cancer ranks as the first most frequent cancer among women in Ghana, most common amongst women between 15 and 44 years of age. A World Health Organisation (WHO) report (which WHO report and the date? indicates at least 2,000 Ghanaian women die yearly from the disease. By 2025, it predicts there will be over 5,000 new cases and at least 3,300 cervical cancer deaths annually.

Dr Trudy Smith, a South Afri-can gynaecology oncologist, says cervical cancer is a leading cause of death for women. “It’s one of the biggest killers of women in the world.”

Globally, the month of Octo-ber turns pink during Breast Can-cer Awareness Month. Yet the preceding month of September does not flutter with teal ribbons to commemorate Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Instead, it passes silently by, like the silent killer it represents.

Cervical cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of the cervix. The cervix is part of a woman’s reproductive system located in the lower, nar-row part of the uterus (womb). Cervical cancer develops after the cervix is infected with the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is sexually transmitted. According to Dr Awudzi there are many (more than 150) HPVs but about 40 of them can be sexu-ally transmitted and can either cause genital warts or cervical cancer. Like all cancers, cervical

cancer progresses slowly, over a period of years, from cells that have changed. “In the early stage, these changes are small that they are like a “rash” called dysphasia,” says Juana Nyame, a cancer expert at the New Cross Clinic in Kumasi.

Though the early small rash could appear in a woman when she is in her twenties, Nyame says it takes many years to develop into cervical cancer in women be-tween the ages of 40 to 60 years. The rash, caused by a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), often causes no symptoms making it very difficult for women to know they have the cancer.

Vilakazi sought treatment after noticing abnormal bleeding between her menstrual periods. But it took three months before she visited her local clinic. Dr Smith comments, “Symptoms of stages 1 and 2 include abnormal bleeding or smelly discharge. The vast majority of women will pres-ent at stage 3, when they bleed from their vagina or rectum.”

Vilakazi was in stage 2. At the clinic, she was told to have a pap smear. “I didn’t know what it was.” When explained, she was afraid. “No, I didn’t want it. I thought they’ll tell me I have Aids.”

A pap smear is a screening test for cervical cancer. Cells are scraped from the opening of the cervix with a wooden spatula, then examined under a micro-scope.

Across Africa, poor screen-ing procedures are said to be a primary factor in the rise of cer-vical cancer incidence. In 2000, South Africa developed a national

cervical cancer screening policy, using a screening method of pap smears to prevent precancer-ous lesions from developing into cervical cancer through early detection and treatment. Free pap smears are offered to women at the ages of 30, 40 and 50. This policy was viewed as the most rational approach to ensure widest coverage to all women in South Africa. But statistics reveal less than 20% of women have used this service. This is either due to not knowing about it, like Vilakazi, or fear.

The Cervical Cancer Pre-vention Programme in Zambia (CCPPZ), which was initiated in January 2006, is the world’s first large-scale public sector cervical cancer prevention intervention effort.Groesbeck Parham, gyn-aecological oncologist and CCPZ co-director, says CCPPZ devel-oped an innovative approach to cervical cancer prevention comprising of nurse-led clinics supported by a modern mobile technology matrix. As of May 2011, the programme screened 60,650 women and treated over 8,000 patients for precancerous and cancerous lesions.

Dr Smith says a pap smear is secondary prevention. “We must stop cervical cancer be-fore it happens. We need to vaccinate.”Treatment of cervical cancer is possible after diagnosis by either a Pap smear or Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid. “But the primary prevention of HPV is through immunization, admin-istered to teenage girls, before they become sexually active”, says Smith.However, vaccines are expensive, affordable and

accessible to only those with private healthcare. In Africa, there are two vaccines on the market, Gardisal and Cevirax, costing $US100 and $US60 per shot, respectively. Three shots are required.

Cervical cancer is easily treat-ed if detected early. Cryotherapy is used to treat pre-cancerous lesions, or early stage cancer.Dr Smith explains, “We use a cryogun to freeze the abnormal area to -20 °C, which then falls away.” Nyame further says the procedure takes only 15 minutes and might cause some discomfort and abdominal cramps, adding, “After the treatment, your cervix is like any other wound, therefore it must be protected so that it can heal and not become infected.”

The five year survival rate decreases for each stage, with stage 1 having an 85% survival rate, and stage 4 a 15% chance.

Fortunately for Vilakazi, her stage 2 cancer was treated through radiation therapy. “Now I’m okay. I feel good, and I thank God He saved me”, she says gratefully.

For those unable to seek treatment, death is painful. Dr Smith says fistula can develop in late stages.“In rural areas espe-cially, women who haven’t been treated are ostracised because they have foul-smell vaginal and rectal discharge. They die a pain-ful, lonely death.” q


By Ntaryike Divine Jr.

Douala, Cameroun- Medical sci-ence has frequently incriminated Central Africa as a cradle of some

of the world’s deadliest communicable maladies. The sub-region, already long-established as the birthplace of HIV is also home to recurring plagues of cholera, chikungunya, ebola, meningitis, polio, measles and others.

Typically, self-declared cash-strapped governments in the sub-region resort to donors for assistance when untracked epidemics break out. Such “fire-fighting” efforts often come rather late when disease-causing organisms have besieged entire communities causing deaths and forcing the poor into costly hospital beds.

However, a window of hope is open-ing for Central Africa. The sub-region has begun training its first-ever indigenous applied epidemiologists and laboratory

science experts and the first batch of 18 epidemiologists recently graduated from the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in the University of Yaoundé, Cameroon,.

The two-year Master’s Degree course dubbed Field Epidemiology and Labo-ratory Training Program, FELTP was launched in October 2010 with trainees selected via a competitive entrance ex-amination.

The epidemiologists who graduated included eight from the DR Congo, five from the Central African Republic and five from Cameroon. “Often, we’re surprised by disease outbreaks. However, with this training, we’re in a position to keep tabs on their evolution,” said Gerald Sume, one of the program alumni.

“We’ll be working on epidemics inves-tigations and management. Emergency situations like the recent cholera outbreak

will henceforth be better tackled. During our training, we investigated outbreaks of measles in Cameroon and chikungunya in Congo,” added Norbert TankeuDongmo, another graduate from Cameroon.

The FELTP introduction in Central Africa brings to 52 worldwide, the number of applied epidemiology and laboratory science programs started by the US Center for Disease Control, CDC, from 1980. For Central Africa, it is additionally sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the WHO to the tune of US$640,000.

“There’re several vaccine-preventable diseases in Central Africa and this is an opportunity to start dealing with them using people who are trained here and who will be deployed here and we know this initiative will continue,” said Peter Nsabuga, CDC representative.

“Additionally, It will boost sub-region-al integration with envisaged possibilities

of crossborder collaboration to track down, investigate disease behavior and check their spread from one country to another,” said Prof Oumarou Bouba, Rec-tor of the University of Yaoundé I.

However, neither timeframes for the enrolment of the next batch nor a work-ing plan for the graduates have been announced, but Cameroon government officials say they willspare no efforts in ensuring the country and sub-region reap a hundred percent benefit from the program. They have pledged tocreate field laboratories across the country for permanent surveillance and prompt epi-demics alerts. n


Central Africa Trains First Batch of Epidemiologists

Stories From World Federation of Science Journalists Virtual Newsroom

Edited by WFSJ Anglophone Virtual Newsroom Editor - Otula Owuor

Cervical Cancer: Preventable, Treatable�HPV Immunization Preventive �Pap Smear Screening Test


If Kenya’s next govern-ment is practically in-terested in attaining

sustainable food security then it will have to allocate more resources and improve the status of agricultural research institutions begin-ning with the Kenya Agri-cultural Research Institute.

It is one of Africa’s lead-ing scientific institutions that can credibly and boldly point fingers at its vari-ous innovations backed by high quality R&D activities linked to its ability to attract external funding that still comes with all the dangers of dependency. In short KARI deserves increased budget-ary allocations and should be promptly placed in the same category as the country most treasured state corporations especially in terms of staff

renumerations.Over the years KARI,

through innovative projects, has trained highly skilled agricultural scientists and specialists in some of the world’s best universities. Many may not know that institutions like the Kenya Seed Company, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute, Sugar-cane Research Institute and many others were actually highly successful specialist sections of KARI.

KARI’s positive impact is easily noted in Kenya’s universities, NGOs, inter-national research institu-tions and other institutions. Many top experts including professors in these institu-tions were fully prepared or “packaged” at the institute

and even while the minis-try of agriculture had also extracted its top brass from KARI. In other words it is time for Kenya to adequately fund KARI and raise its status if the country’s policy makers really value “home grown” science, technology and innovation.

The list of innovation from KARI is impressive and is bound to get better with increased support and ability to help in the initial implementation of its proj-ects. KARI’s R&D impact on improvement and protection of the country’s crops and livestock sector speaks for itself. One just has to take an objective look –includ-ing challenges and achieve-ments- into the country’s ability to produce and sus-tain its livestock, horticul-

ture, cereals and tubers. It boils down to research lead-ing to increased production of maize, wheat, sorghum, millet, peanuts, beans, peas, flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables, cassava, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, poultry, milk, sheep, goats, cattle, pigs and others.

Apart from protection against myriads of diseases the institute has helped the country come with crop and livestock varieties that survive in various agro-eco-logical zones. Thus In this issue we have exclusively carried selected samples of scientific and technical pa-pers that give a glimpse of R&D activities at the Kenya Agricultural Research Insti-tute and more samples will be carried in future install-ments. n

If Kenya’s next government

is practically interested

in attaining sustainable food

security then it will have to allocate more resources and

improve the status of agricultural

research institutions

beginning with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.

EDITORIAL TEAMEditor:

Otula Owuor

Consulting Editors: James Njoroge Wachai

Uganda Editor:Esther Nakkazi

Associate Editors: Daniel OtungeDick Agudah

Revise Editor: Naftali Mungai

Staff Writer: George Achia

Staff Photographer: Charity Muturi

Marketing & Advertising: Anthony Rume,

IT/Marketing: Sami Otieno Otula

Operation & Co-ordination: Leo Ogwago

Layout Design: James Chunguli

[email protected]

Contributors: Maxwell Awumah, Ntaryike Divine

Jr, Bibi-Aisha Wadvalla, Bibiana Iraki, Phoebe Mukiria, Grace Murilla, Maichomo MW, Mutuku JM, Otieno

Owino, Kimani E, Obukosia S, Gichuki S, Daniel Kamanga, Florence

Wambugu, Mwasame E, Nzeve D, Taracha C, Ngichabe C

www.scienceafrica.co.keEmail:[email protected]

Increased collabora-tion between research-ers, farmers, markets,

NGOs and private sector players is vital towards the implementation and pick up of innovations in the agriculture sector to boost economic development, according to Dr. Seyoum Leta, the Program Manag-er Bio Innovate Program.

This could mark a move from the norm in which scientist have been accused of working in isolation. Inclusion of all stakehold-ers from inception of pilot innovation projects to their completion and implemen-tation phase is the best way towards ensuring the sus-tainability of such projects.

This participatory ap-proach has been adopted at the Bio Innovate program.

“One of the unique fea-tures of Bio Innovate is that we really engage in science and technology activities not mainly because we want to generate knowl-edge and technology but to make sure that the results of the current program ac-tivities will have an impact at the end of the day,” notes

Dr. Leta.He also asserts that the

Bio Innovate program has ensured that all stakehold-ers get on board at the beginning of the program.

“We made sure that only the researchers from the universities or research organizations are responsi-ble for the implementation and execution of respec-tive consortia projects. We have made sure that the demand side especially farmers, markets, NGOs and private sector also put their eye on the de-

velopment right from the beginning up to when it is ready for uptake,” adds Dr. Leta. This he adds makes sure that the end product is one modeled to meet the demands of the people and solve practical problems.

The Bio-resources In-novations Network for Eastern Africa Develop-ment (Bio-Innovate) was established in 2010 as a body to offer grants to finance multidisciplinary bio-sciences and product oriented innovation activi-ties in Eastern Africa. The

program currently runs 9 consortia projects and works with 57 partners.

S i n c e i t s i n c e p -tion in 2010, the pro-ject has reached a total of 150 researchers and granted funds worth US$9.2million.

The Bio-Innovate pro-gram is funded by Swedish International Develop-ment Agency (Sida) and the Private Sector. Its inno-vations are in four thematic areas: Improving crop pro-ductivity and adaptability and climate change, Waste treatment, production of bio energy from renewable bio resources and securing fresh water resource, third is innovation incubation and promotion of targeted value chain and finally, Bio-resources innovation policy and sustainability analysis.

The program is set to officially launch one of its projects in Uganda in November 2012. A re-view of the entire consortia projects will be done in February in Addis Ababa in February 2013. n

Bio Innovate Ensuring that R&D Results have Impact

Next Government Must Increase Funding and Elevate KARI’s Status

Dr. Seyoum Leta, the Program Manager Bio Innovate Program.

S C I E N C E & D E V E L O P M E N T


This might be of interest to those of you with connections to jour-nalists working for print or audio

media in Africa. It’s on the topic of how political, social and other factors affect how African governments invest in ag-riculture. See email below. The dead-line is 8 Feb 2013. Main link: http://www.future-agricultures.org/media-comp-2013

The competition is only open to Africa-based journalists but we are looking to spread the word as widely as possible within that region.

About the competition The Future Agricultures Consorti-

um (FAC) has launched a competition for journalists/media specialists on the political economy of agricultural policy in Africa. The competition will address three key themes: n Investing in agriculture: With

agriculture the backbone of the African economy, why is it that African governments do not in-vest more in agriculture for the benefit of their economies? What are the political pressures leading African governments to increase investment in agricultural devel-opment? Do these favour small-holder agriculture or large-scale farming, food staples or export crops, state-led or private sector-led models, investment in public goods or transfers (such as subsi-dies)?

n Influencing policy - the role of civil

society: How can a civil society organisation have an influence on agricultural policy making?

n BRICS investment in Africa: How are investments from China and Brazil and other ‘rising powers’ having an impact on African ag-riculture? And what impact will they have in the future?

The entry deadline is 8 February 2013 and the winners will be supported to attend FAC’s international confer-ence on the Political Economy of Ag-ricultural Policy in Africa to be held March 18-20, 2013 in Pretoria, South Africa.

Help us bring this announcement to the attention of potential candidates by circulating it widely amongst your networks.

About the conference: The FAC 2013 international conference will fo-cus on Political Economy of Agricul-tural Policy in Africa and is co-hosted by the Institute of Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS). The con-ference organising committee include Colin Poulton, Blessings Chinsinga, Ian Scoones, Kassahun Berhanu, Au-gustin Loada and Gaynor Paradza.

Media competition link: http://www.future-agricultures.org/media-comp-2013 Beatrice OumaCommunications and Networking Co-ordinatorM: +254 (0)703 700 732 | www.fu-ture-agricultures.org

By Bibiana Iraki

The recent cabinet decision to ban GM food imports in Kenya is unfortunate. However, what

is worse is the basis of that decision. Sadly, the directive to ban trade and importation of GM foods was informed by a flawed and controversial study that recently generated worldwide headlines.

On 19 September 2012, a French Professor - Gilles-Eric Séralini - released a report linking the development of cancerous tumours in rats to consump-tion of GM glyphosate-tolerant NK603 maize. The study has been used to prop-agate negative publicity against GMOs, re-igniting a massive global debate and raising concerns about the safety of genetically modified crops.

Following the report, a multitude of renowned scientists worldwide and a number of credible scientific bodies have reviewed the study and are uni-formly criticizing its objectives, flawed methodology and weak research design. Some of the organisations that have dis-counted the results of this study include:

1. The European Food Safety Authority

2. The Belgian Biosafety Advisory

Council3. Danish Technical University4 . F r e n c h A g e n c y f o r F o o d ,

Environment and Occupational Health and Safety

5. High Council for Biotechnology, France.

6. Germany’s Federal Institute for Risk Assessment

7. Italy’s National Institute of Health Assessment

8. Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority

9. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand

10. Six French Academies among them the National Academy of Agriculture, Medicine, Pharmacy, S c i e n c e , T e c h n o l o g y a n d Veterinary Studies.

According to the conclusions of separate and independent assessments carried out by EFSA and six European Union Member States namely; France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands and Belgium, “serious defects in the design and methodology of a paper by Séralini et al. mean it does not meet ac-ceptable scientific standards and there is no need to re-examine previous safety evaluations of genetically modified

maize NK603”The criticisms come as no surprise

bearing in mind the pool of reliable, scientifically sound information con-firming the benefits and safety of GM crops, as well as the history of safe use for almost two decades. GMOs have been commercialized for food, feed and planting for the last 16 years with no adverse effects on human and animal health and the environment. A total of 16.7 million farmers in 29 coun-tries worldwide have adopted and are benefitting from GM crops. Numerous International Organisations have also endorsed the health and environmental safety of biotech crops including:

1. The World Health Organisation2. The Food and Agriculture

Organisation of the United Nations

3. The Royal Society (UK) 4. The British Medical Association5. The National Academy of Sciences

(USA) 6. The American Medical Association7. The European Commission8. The French Academy of Sciences

and Medicines The French academies conclusively rejected the study as a “scientific non-

event” and voiced their concerns on the shocking images circulating in the media. According to the six academies, these images “contributed to fuel to-tally irrational fears since the results presented are not valid science.”

Kenyans have nothing to fear. The government has put in place structures to ensure the safe handling and use of GMOs. There is the Biotechnology policy of 2006, Biosafety Act of 2009, Biosafety regulations and a functional internationally recognized National Biosafety Authority (NBA) structured according to the Cartegena Protocol on Biodiversity and mandated to advice the government on appropriate handling of GM foods to the advantage of Kenyans.

Any fear or decision based on the Seralini’s study that has been found to be flawed even by scientists in his own country would therefore be a big em-barrassment to Kenya, our regulatory agencies, research institutions and our scientists who have always commanded international repute.

(The writer is the communication of-ficer at African Biotechnology Stake-holders Forum ABSF)

GM Safe- Seralini’s Study a HoaxV I E W P O I N T

Media Competition on Agriculture in Africa

NK603 was first approved for cultivation in 2000 in the US, and currently the maize is approved for import and food use in Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan. Like any GM crop, the NK603 GMO maize went through a rigorous safety assessment in these countries before approval for food, feed and en-vironmental release. The safety assessment of foods or feeds derived from genetically enhanced crops addresses two major sources of potential health consequences: (1) those due to the activity and presence of the introduced trait (most often a protein) and (2) those due to the characteristics of the resulting food or feed crop plant.http://www.scribd.com/doc/115010474/FACT-SHEET-NK603-Herbicide-tolerant-maize

Biotech indaBa

Food safety watchdog rejects GM Roundup cancer studyNovember, 2012 – foodmate.com

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has officially rejected contro-versial research linking Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup and genetically modified (GM) maize with cancer and premature death. EFSA rejected the Seralini GM Roundup cancer study. In the second part of a two-part ruling, the Euro food watchdog said: “Serious defects in the design and methodol-ogy of a paper by Séralini et al. mean it does not meet acceptable scientific standards and there is no need to re-examine previous safety evaluations of genetically modified (GM) maize NK603.”http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/121128.htm

AfricaBio Fact Sheet: NK603 Herbicide-tolerant Maize


Introduction Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease was first reported in September 2011, in the lower parts of Longisa division of Bomet District. In February 2012, it was noted in Bomet Central division, spreading into neighboring Chepalungu District, Narok North and South Districts, and Naivasha.

In April 2012, the disease spread into Sotik, kainon, Transmara, Rumuruti, Kisii, Biveti, Kericho, Mathira East, Imenti South and Embu. According to field stud-ies, it was observed that the disease is affecting all maize varieties grown in these regions. Reported yield loss in affected fields ranged from 30-100%.

ParticipationThe Ministry of Agriculture –Coordinator, Kenya Agri-cultural Research Institute (KARI), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) Pest Control and Product Board (PCPB), and Seed Traders Association (SGA) have participated in partnership of this research.

Disease outbreakThe farmers in Bomet called it ‘Koroito’ which is the vernacular name for the plague. The disease was a sud-den phenomenon that could not be explained with its cause not known yet having a devastating effect to the community.

Action taken A Multi Disciplinary Technical Team (MDT) was consti-tuted by the Ministry of Agricultural, field surveys and surveillance and consultative forum for farmers’ field days has been carried out. Further action has been taken by KARI through germplasm screening in search for resistance, awareness creation through press releases, technical brochures, posters and papers submitted in scientific journals National stakeholders maize tour was conducted in July 2012 with focus on disease prevalence. Field samples have been analyzed both locally and in two other independent labs.

DISEASE IDENTIFICATIONMaize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) disease otherwise known as Corn Lethal Necrosis (CLN) disease is caused by a co-infection with Maize Chlorotic Mottle Viruses (MCMV) and Sugarcane Mosaic Virus (SCMV) or any other cereal virus in the portyvirus group (e.g. Maize Mottle Virus-MMV and Wheat Streak Virus-WSV).

Sugarcane Mosaic Virus (SCMV)Sugarcane Mosaic Virus belongs to the family: Portyviri-dae genus: Portyvirus and species: Sugarcane Mosaic Virus. Its morphology appears as particular which are flexuous filaments about 750mm long and 13mm in diameter. Its nucleic acid is a single ssRNA species of c. 3.4 x106 daltons.

Transmission of SCMV is by insect vectors; espe-cially Dactynotus ambrosiae, Hysteroneura sectarieae, Rhopalosiphum Maidis, Toxoptera Graminum, which belong to the family Aphidae.

The disease can also be transmitted by mechanical means, by grafting, through seed and continuous maize planting in a field also increases the incidence of maize chlorotic mottle.

Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus (MCMV)The virus occurrence was first reported in Kenya this year. This is the only species in the genus Machlomo-virus (family: Tombusvividae). The virus was first re-ported to infect Zea Mays in Peru (Hebert and Castillo 1973). MCVM is not widely spread in the US; it has been reported only in Nebraska, Kansas and Hawaii. Glob-ally it occurs in South America i.e. Argentina, Mexico and Peru.

Maize is the only natural plant least reported for MCMV. However the least range is limited to the grass family Poaceae (sheets 2004). Among these grasses, 73 plant species in 35 genera have tested susceptible to MCMV.

Transmission of MCMV occurs mechanically, by insect vectors and it has been reported that it can pos-sibly occur by seed at very low rates which is agronomi-cally insignificant (1/22,189 seeds= 0.005%) (Jensen et al.,1991). Continuous maize production in a field also greatly increases the incidence of maize chlorotic mottle.

Insect species transmitting MCMV (Nyvall, 1999) include, Corn thrips (frankliniella Willimsi), three spe-cies of corn rootworms (Diabrotica): Southern corn rootworm (D.undecimpunctata), Northern corn root worm (D. ionicornis), and western corn rootworm (D.Virgijera) the corn flea beetle (Chaetocnema pulicar-ia), the flea beetle (Sytena frontalis), the cereal leaf bee-tle (Oulema Melanopa), Arthropods (Cicadulina Mbila C.Zeae, C.Cicadulina mbila, Storeji and C.Triangula ) (Rossel and Thotappilly)

Figure1: screening for resistance in Naivasha

Disease expression and symptoms Symptoms expressions depend on:

nThe virus/es infecting the cropnTiter of the virus/esnCultivarnTime of infection in the crop growthnPrevailing environmental conditions

Figure 2: infested vs healthy

Figure 3: severe chlorotic mottle on leaves

Figure 4: mosaic and vein banding symptoms with chlorosis and mottling

Opinions of farmers concerning the cause of the MLNDFarmers’ views on origin of MLND included the fol-lowing

nContaminated seeds from agro vet shopsnGovernment relief seedsn Insects damagenFrost damage

While others do not know the source, others believed that it was God’s vengeance due to sins.

Area of interventionlocality ChallengesAll -Availability of adequate quantities

of clean planting materials -accessibility of quality seeds and other planting materials -diseases and pests-Poor marketing infrastructure-Exploitation by middlemen-Unreliable rainfall-Cost of farm inputs

Narok Human wildlife conflictKisii (Borabu) Poor road infrastructure, rigid

mentality abuse of local brews Eldoret West Soil fertilityBomet, Chepalungu, Sotik, Narok, Machakos, Kathiani, Makueni

Periods of moisture stress and seasonal droughts

RECOMMENDATIONSInterventionEstablishment of maize closed seasons should be car-ried out in all regions, quantitative movement of maize materials from affected areas should be established, removal of all infested maize crop from field and crop rotation schedules.A regime of disease management should be recom-mended through pesticide applications on seed folia for vector control and IPM options. Screening of released maize varieties for tolerance /resistance, inclusion of MLND tolerance/ resistance in maize improvement programs, verifications of status on seed transmission of viruses in all local cultivars and identification and documentation of alternate hosts of viruses and vectors is highly recommended.In addition, creating public awareness on disease and management options to extension staff, stakeholders and farmers via electronic and mass media, technical publications and public forums is advisable.

LONG TERM DISEASE MANAGEMENT MEASURESStrategic research for tolerance/resistance should be carried out, capacity building along value chain for dis-ease and pest management, establish a system for pest and disease forecasting and early warning, establish a centralized data bank and backup systems and lastly for-mulate and implement policies on handling of emerging pest and disease epidemics. (Courtesy KARI)

Overview on Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease in Kenya

Incidence of Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (July 2012)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Rift Valley Eastern Central Nyanza

%

Relative areas reportedly affected by MLND nationally)

Selected Scientific & Technical Papers from KARI


Problem identification

Africa is a drought-prone continent, making farm-ing risky for millions of

smallholder farmers who rely on rainfall to water their crops. One third of the population in the Sub-Saharan Africa starves from time to time and has led to an increased overdepend-ence on aid from outside Africa. Maize is the most widely grown staple crop in Africa and there is need to consider the fact that over 650 million people in this region depend on maize whose survival and yield are controlled by the availability of moisture.

However, maize is severely affected by frequent drought which leads to crop failure, hunger, and poverty. With the threats of climate change, the problem of maize loss may only get worse. Like drought, insects - particularly stem borers - pre-sent a challenge to smallholder farmers in Sub–Saharan Af-rica, as they have little or no resources to effectively manage them. These insects feed on the surviving maize and reduce the plant’s ability to use limited water and nutrients. This can have a negative impact on yields, particularly during times of

drought and farmers can expe-rience complete crop loss when drought and insects combine in the field. This therefore means that Africa must adopt appro-priate tools in science and tech-nology to increase agricultural productivity and enhance food security.Drought tolerance has been recognised as one of the most important targets of crop improvement programs, and biotechnology has been identi-fied as a powerful tool to achieve significant drought tolerance by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Iden-tifying ways to mitigate drought risk and insect pressure, stabi-lise yields, and encourage small-holder farmers to adopt best management practices which is fundamental to realising food security and improved liveli-hoods for the continent.

Consequently, the Water Ef-ficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) Project is an attempt to address this concern.

The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) Project is a public-private partnership whose objective is to develop and deploy royalty – free Af-rican drought - tolerant white maize varieties. This will result

in increased yield stability, pro-tection of the crops from insects of economic importance and promotion of best management practices among the small scale farmers in sub-Saharan Afri-can countries. The project was initiated by five African Coun-tries namely; Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa courtesy of Bill and Melinda/Gates and Howard Buffet Foundations. They are the financers of the project. To add value to the outcome of the project partnerships are em-braced at the country level be-tween the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARs) and key multinational organizations namely; the African Agricultural Technology Foundation(AATF), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIM-MYT), and Monsanto.

Each partner offers a unique role to the project given their areas of specialization. For ex-ample, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that facilitates and promotes public/private partnerships for the ac-cess and delivery of appropriate proprietary agricultural tech-nologies for use by resource-

poor smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. CIMMYT is an internationally funded, nonprofit scientific research and training organization.

The Center works with ag-ricultural research institutions worldwide to improve the pro-ductivity, profitability, and sus-tainability of maize and wheat systems for poor farmers in de-veloping countries. Monsanto is a world leader in marker as-sisted breeding, gene discovery, trait development and licensing. Finally, the NARS of each coun-try brings to the project exper-tise in field trials; result based breeding and capacity building.

MethodologyThe Water Efficient Maize

for Africa (WEMA) Project uses a combination of conven-tional breeding, marker assisted breeding and transgene to de-velop drought tolerant inbred lines. In the transgene CspB from Bacillus subtilis that is a common soil microorganism is used to confer drought tolerance in maize. Nutritionally Bacil-lus subtilis is used to prepare Japanese Soy food called Natto. The transgene CspB gene was first identified in the bacteria

subjected to cold stress condi-tion. The good news is that research has demonstrated that transgene CspB can help plants to cope with stress occasioned by drought. For WEMA maize these may imply an increase of yields by 20 to30% from the available local varieties as at 2008 when the project was started.

Translated into food security it will result in an additional 2 million metric tons of maize during the drought years to feed about 14 to 21 million people that depend on maize.

AchievementsGenerally each of the five

countries is at various stages of the project. However, the project is on course and hoping to move to deployment phase by 2013. It is anticipated that the conventional variety will be released to farmers from 2013 through national seed compa-nies. Further, the transgenic (Bt) Insect-pest resistant white hybrids will be available to farm-ers from 2015 having satisfied the local necessary biosafety regulations.

(Paper Courtesy KARI)

Overview of the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) Project with a Focus on Transgenic Drought Tolerant Maize

Doubled Haploid (DH) Technology in Maize Breeding shortens the breeding cycle significant-ly by rapid development of completely homozygous lines (in 2-3 generations), instead of conventional inbred line development process which takes at least 6-8 generations…..

A “doubled haploid” (DH) is a genotype formed when haploid (n) cells successfully undergo

either spontaneous or artificially in-duced chromosome doubling. Chase (1947, 1951, 1952,1960) pioneered the studies on maize monoploids (synony-mous to haploids, in case of maize) and the use of DH lines in breeding.The DH technology shortens the breeding cycle significantly by rapid development of completely homozy-gous lines (in 2-3 generations), instead of conventional inbred line develop-ment process which takes at least 6-8 generations to derive line with ~99% homozygosity (Forster and Thomas,

2005; Geiger and Gordillo, 2009; Chang and Coe, 2009).Since the last 10-15 years, the technol-ogy has been well-adapted by several commercial maize breeding programs in Europe (Schmidt, 2003), North America (seitz, 2005), and more re-cently in China (Chen et al., 2009), almost as soon as haploid inducer lines became available for template environ-ments (Prigge and Melchinger, 2011).

Why DH in Maize breedinga) Significantly shortens the breed-

ing cycle by development of com-pletely homozygous lines in two generations

b) Simplified logistics including less time, labor and financial resources in developing new breeding lines; the time and resources thus saved could be potentially channelized for implementing more effective selections and for accelerated re-lease of elite cultivars.

c) Enables greater efficiency and precision of selection especially when used in combination with molecular markers and year-round nurseries;

d) Accelerated product development by allowing rapid pyramiding of favourable alleles for polygenic traits influencing maize produc-tivity and stress resilience, which

are otherwise difficult and time consuming to combine in adapted germplasm using conventional breeding practices

e) Perfect fulfilment of the require-ments of DUS for plant variety protection due to the complete homogeneity of DH-based paren-tal lines.

f) Reduces the effort for line mainte-nance.

g) In combination with molecular markers, DH technology can fa-cilitate access to the germplasm present within either the female or the male parental lines of hybrid cultivars

h) Provides opportunities for under-taking marker-trait association studies, marker-based gene intro-gression, functional genomics, mo-lecular cytogenetics, and genetic engineering

DH status in KARIFive populations (KARI X CIMMYT) best drought tolerant, F1 crosses are been fixed using the DH technology at Monsanto DH lab. Upon conversion the resulting DH lines will be tested for drought tolerance, disease resistance, and insect and storage pest resistance.

ChallengesMost of the haploid inducer lines with high Haploid Induction Rate (HIR)

and for commercial use are temperate adapted. These IL are poor are poorly adapted to tropical lowland condi-tions, they display poor vigor, poor pollen production, poor seed set, and high susceptibility to tropical maize diseases.

OpportunitiesCIMMYT has intensively engaged over optimization of the DH technology especially for the tropical/subtropical maize growing environments, in part-nership with University of Hohenheim, Germany. They have developed tropi-cally adapted inducer lines with 8-10% HIR and are available for sharing with interested institutions for research or commercial use.

ConclusionTropically adapted inducer lines is expected to significantly enhance the efficiency of DH line production, increasing seed set and rates of induc-tion, and reducing the cost of inducer line maintenance and seed production.

DH LINES SEED INCREASE IN WEMA PROJECT895DH lines derived from 10 droughts tolerant BC1F1 were plant-ed. After phenotypic evaluation, 231 DH lines were discarded and 664 DH lines seeds were harvested.

Practical Use 0f Doubled Haploids in Maize Breeding Programs in Kenya


Contd. on Page 16



By Phoebe Mukiria and Grace MurillaBACKGROUND

Maggot therapy (MT) is the therapeutic use of medical grade larvae of

necrophagic/coprophagic flies to treat chronic wounds. The mag-gots act by feeding on dead tis-sue that covers the wounds,. The maggots are produced in a sterile manner in the laboratory. The fly most commonly used is Lucilia sericata (or green bottle fly) but other species have been used with similar efficacy. MT has also been called biosurgery or larval therapy or maggot debridement therapy (MDT) and can be described as a carefully controlled process where an artificial therapeutic myiasis is induced. The health care profes-sional makes use of the natural ability of particular maggots to ingest necrotic or infected tissue without affecting healthy tissue, re-ducing bacterial burden locally and promoting wound healing. This method is applicable to both hu-mans and livestock suffering from chronic wounds. A facility has been built at the KARI- Trypanosomiasis Research Centre, Muguga, with support from Kenya Government and the Slovak Academy for Sci-ences (SAS) to produce sterile mag-gots for use in Kenyan hospitals. The staff from the centre have been trained at the Institute of Zoology (IZ), Bratislava, where a similar facility has been operating since 2003, supplying sterile maggots to more than 15 hospitals in Slovakia. Working with IZ, there are plans for TRC to isolate compounds from the maggots for further research, utilizing the new facility at the Muguga Centre, Kikuyu.

BURDEN OF CHRONIC WOUNDS IN KENYAChronic wounds are open wounds that for some reason simply will not heal, do not respond to treat-ment with antibiotics, and may be present for months or even years. Aging, chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease and diabe-tes mellitus, and simple wear-and-tear all contribute to chronic non healing wounds. The three major types of chronic wounds include venous/arterial ulcers, diabetic and pressure ulcers. Often, espe-cially in rural settings, the wounds have not received adequate care and without such care, the wound becomes covered with dead (ne-crotic) tissue. Such wounds seri-ously affect the quality of life of the affected persons and can be a ma-jor drain of family resources and more so if the underlying causes of the wounds have to be managed as well. Common symptoms of ulceration include pain, exudate and odour, and these symptoms are frequently associated with poor sleep, loss of mobility and social isolation. The burden of chronic

wounds to the Kenyan economy has not been estimated but in the UK, it is estimated that the cost to the National Health Service of caring for patients with a chronic wound is conservatively estimated at around 3% of the total estimated expenditure on health (Posnett and Franks, 2007).

Information on the wound burden in Kenya is sparse. However in a study by Nyamu et al 2003, about 4.6% of the patients attending clinic at the Kenyatta National Hospital were found to have dia-betic foot ulcer. Also in one of the provincial hospitals, Muyembe et al (1999) observed that 25% of foot amputations in the hospital were due to diabetic foot ulcer, matching only road accidents. In the United States, the prevalence of DFU ranges between 1.0% and 4.1%, Netherlands 20.4%. Hospital-based studies have also reported prevalence of limb ulcerations of between 11.7% and 19.1% among individuals with diabetes in Nige-ria. The prevalence of DFU among hospitalized patients with diabetes in Iran was 20%. (Ogunlesi, 2010)

The wound care market in Kenya is growing as a result of an increase in lifestyle diseases. The burden is heaviest in the resource-poor com-munities. These areas have limited or no access to sophisticated and efficient diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitative facilities. Ac-cording to Ogunlesi (2010), bacte-rial infections have been associated with 52% to 97% of DFU in parts of the developing world. A major cost of such wound management is the removal of the dead tissue (de-bridement) especially if done in the theatre. In the UK, it is estimated that 200,000 patients at any one time have such a wound. A consid-erable amount of this cost is taken up by the nursing time involved in dressing changes (http://www.ukti.gov.uk/lps/sciencetechnol-ogy/item/356146.html).

The presence of a chronic wound in a family member is traumatic to both the sufferer and the peo-ple around them. It is a constant drain on family resources and when the wound is of long dura-tion, it arouses feelings of stigma, fear and even rejection, and the fact that more often than not, these wounds are associated with chronic illnesses complicates the lives of those with the wounds and their families. Traditionally wound treatment involves peri-odic removal of necrotic tissue (a process called debridement) either mechanically or surgically, flush-ing of the wound with antiseptic and covering the wound of fresh dressing, a procedure dreaded even by the most courageous. This is dressing is coupled with an anti-biotic cover. Mechanical debride-ment often does not remove all the

dead tissue, thus slowing down the rate of wound healing and that’s where biosurgery is considered as a viable alternative.

HISTORY OF MAGGOT THERAPYLarval association with infected wounds has been reported since ancient times, with the Old Testa-ment being the oldest written piece to cite the infestation of an infected wound of a man by fly larvae - ‘My body is clothed with worms and scabs, my skin is broken and festering…’ Job 7:5. Evidence ex-ists that larvae have been used for the last thousand years by vari-ous ancient cultures, such as the aborigines, ancient inhabitants of Burma and the Central America. It is reported that the Central Ameri-can tribal healers soaked dressings in the blood of cattle and exposed them to the sun before applying them to certain lesions, by which time certain flies had laid eggs in the dressings and thus introducing maggots to the wounds.

Thereafter maggots were extensively used during Napoleonic Wars and in the American Civil War in the 18th and 19th centuries when military surgeons found that the wounds that were infested by maggots healed faster and even survived better than those without. However, during the second half of 19th century Koch and Pasteur discovered the germ theory and this stopped the willingness of doctors to apply contaminated matter to an open wound and by the end of the 19th century, there were hardly any doctors left who would support the use of non-sterile fly larvae for the public.

During World War I, mortality from open wounds increased to 70%. In 1917, William S. Baer, a military surgeon in France, resumed successful treatment of wounds with maggots. At the end of the war he was appointed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University, and he extended the use of larval therapy to patients with failed wounds. To minimise the disgust of patients, as well as staff, and to avoid the migration of larvae, doc-tors created net-cage bandages to cover and hide the larvae.

‘Maggot therapy experienced a real boom from then on and military doctors during World War II ob-

served the therapeutic application of the fly larvae by the local popula-tion. More than 300 US American hospitals introduced maggots into their programme of wound healing between 1930 and 1940.

However the discovery and sub-sequent industrial production of antibiotics in 1944 and the devel-opment of new antiseptics led to a rapid decline in the use of larval therapy and the academic/medical interest in the use of maggots was lost. However proponents of the technique did not entirely give up and there are reports of low level use of the technique for the rest of the 20th Century.

HOW DOES THE THERAPY WORK?The fly species most commonly used for maggot therapy is the green bottle blowfly, Lucilia seri-cata, as the maggots live only on dead and necrotic tissue. This fly lays its eggs on carrion and when an animal is being slaughtered there will be the fly (mistakenly referred to as the toilet fly) that will generally be a nuisance in the area of slaughter. (It has not come to eat the meat, it is looking for substrate to lay its eggs). The eggs hatch in 18 to 24 hours, produc-ing larvae 1–2 mm in size. These larvae immediately start feeding on the food available and grow to a length of 8–10 mm in four to seven days, when they form pupae in a dry area. If circumstances al-low, the adult fly emerges from the pupa in 10 to 20 days, and the cycle repeats itself.

In the laboratory, flies adult flies of both sexes are held in special cages and fed on a special diet of a mixture of sugar, yeast extract and water.

Eggs laid on liver/wheat bran substrate

When 7 days old, the flies are offered a substrate of a moist mixture of liver and wheat bran is introduced in the cages for 2 hours. This simulates carrion on which the now adult females will lay a mass of eggs. The eggs are then sterilised with an antiseptic and incubated in sterile egg yolk media for 24 hours at 280 C. The then sterile maggots are removed from the media and rinsed several times with sterile water and counted into pre-prepared sterile sacs, the size of the wound determining the size of the sac and number of maggots therein. The sac is moistened with cold saline and the maggots are packaged and transported to the doctor.

Introducing Fly Maggots for the Treatment of Chronic Wounds in Kenya

lFly Maggots that clean wounds and kill drug resistant germs will soon be norm in the biomedical world and KARI researchers at Trypanosomiasis Research Centre are at per with world’s best. lLarva secretions that is 100% effective against Methicillin Resistant

Streptococcus aureus (MSRA), a leading cause of amputations and death for affected patients.

Fig 1 Life cycle of Lucilia sericata

The two patients below were photographed in one of the local hospitals.

Adult Lucilia sericata in a cage

Hatched sterile maggots

Pupae which will hatch into adults to start the life cycle

Contd. on Page 18



Background Cotton Production in KenyaCotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is one of the cash crops grown by small scale farmers and is important in Kenya as a strategic cash crop in low rainfall and most of the semi-arid areas covering about 87% of the landmass and home to about 27% of Kenya’s population. This area has low potential for arable farm-ing and the population living there is resource poor. Two main varieties have been developed and commercialized in Kenya with HART 89M commercialized in areas East of the Rift Valley and KSA 81M for areas West of Rift Valley. Cot-ton offers an opportunity for poverty reduction. The crop’s present contribu-tion to the national economy is smaller compared to the major export crops like coffee, tea and pyrethrum. However, it has a great potential in the creation of employment, both at the household and industrial level as it is the principal raw material for the local spinning and textile industry and has a great potential for export and thus foreign exchange earning. Cotton production trend in Kenya took a down turn since 1985/86 when an all time high of 70,000 bales was produced nationally dropping to an all time low of 20,000 bales by year 2001. Factors contributing to collapse of cotton production included;

n The liberalization of this cotton sec-tor diminished the regulatory and monitory functions of the Cotton Board of Kenya,

n The removal of subsidies to cotton growers by the Government con-tributed to the collapse of the sector,

n Delayed payments of farmers mon-ey by the co-operatives’ discouraged the cotton growers,

n Mismanagement of farmers’ co-operatives impacted on the industry negatively while middlemen also exploited the farmers,

n The importation of second-hand clothes (Mitumba) which reduced the demand for locally made cotton garments,

n Lack of co-ordination between stakeholders in the sector,

n Poor pricing,n Poor management of the ginneries,n Collapse of Hola and Bura Irrigation

Schemes which used to produce 30% of national seed cotton,

n High cost of inputs hence leading to poor agronomic practices,

n Lack of a certified seed production system,

n Poor infrastructure, andn Lack of strong producer associa-

tions.

The declining trend of cotton produc-tion has reversed since the government introduced measures to revitalize the cotton sector. The national production of cotton was estimated at 40,000 bales per annum by year 2006.

Transgenic Bt-cottonThe transgenic Bt-cotton is a cotton plant genetically engineered to insert cryIAc gene either singly or in com-bination with cry2Ab2 gene. The two genes are from a soil dwelling bacterium known as Bacillus thuringiensis subsp Kurstaki. The protein toxins CryIAc and

Cry2Ab2 expressed in the engineered plants are toxic to key lepidopteran pests including the Africa bollworm, the most important pest of cotton in Kenya. The proteins used for over 30 years in commercial foliar spray formulations of Bt are made much more persistent and effective when genetically engineered into cotton plants. The expression of Bt-toxins in cotton plants greatly re-duce the need for application of broad-spectrum insecticides, minimising the negative effect of the insecticides on the natural enemies of cotton pests.

Bollgard I® (cry IAc)Bollgard I® (BGI) line 531, contains the following 3 genes inserted via genetic engineering techniques:

n The CryIA© gene which encodes for an Insecticidal protein, B.t.k. HD-73, derived from the common soil microbe Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (B.t.k.).

n The nptll gene which encodes the selectable marker enzyme 3”(9) neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII), was needed to identify transformed cells that potentially contained the B.t.k. protein. It served no other purpose and has no pesticidal properties.

n The and gene which encodes the bacterial selectable marker enzyme 3”(9)-O-aminoglycoside adeny-lytransferase (AAD), allowed for the selection of bacteria containing the PV-GHBK04 plasmid on media containing spectinomycin or strep-tomycin. The aad gene is under the control of a bacterial promoter and the lack of any expression was confirmed.These genes were stably inserted into the genome of cotton using the Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation utilizing a single border binary transfor-mation vector, PV-GHBK04 (EPA MRID # 43145201). This means that the inserted DNA is no longer a functional T-DNA i.e. once integrated it cannot be remobi-lized into the genome of another plant even if acted on again by vir genes.

Bollgard II® (cry1Ac and cry2Ab2)Bollgard II® (BGII) cotton event 15985 was generated through the re-trans-formation of Bollgard cotton event 531 (Bollgard I®). Particle accelera-tion plant transformation procedures were used to insert the cry2Ab2 insect control coding sequence and the uidA scorable marker coding sequence into the Bollgard cotton genome. The plasmid vector, PV-GHBK11, contains well-characterized DNA elements for selection and replication of the plasmid in bacteria. The vector inserted into the cotton genome was a purified linearized segment of the plasmid, designated PV-GHBK11L. The linearized plasmid segment includes two adjacent plant gene expression cassettes, each contain-ing separate controlling DNA elements essential for expression in the cotton plant cells. The first cassette contains a copy of the cry2Ab2 gene encoding the Bt insecticidal protein Cry2Ab2 and

the second cassette contains the uidA gene encoding the GUS scorable marker protein. The purified linearized seg-ment, PV-GHBK11L, contains only the Cry2Ab2 and uidA plant gene expres-sion cassettes and does not contain the nptII selectable marker gene or origin of replication of the plasmid PV-GHBK11.

Project ObjectivesThe main objective of the Bt-cotton project is to establish the efficacy of the Bollgard I® cotton carrying cryIAc gene and Bollgard II® carrying cry1Ac and cry2Ab2 genes on Lepidopteran pests of cotton. The other objective include establishing the effect of Bt-cotton on beneficial arthropods and general spe-cies diversity, evaluate the risk of the Bt-cotton intercrossing with commer-cial cotton varieties and evaluate the economic advantage of Bt-cotton com-pared to commercial cotton varieties

Justification of Introducing Bt-cottonPoor agronomic practices which was occasioned by the high cost of inputs and lack of credit to cotton producers was one of the main reasons leading to the collapse of cotton production in the country. At the top of the agro-nomic practices was pest control where the most damaging and earliest pest at the reproductive phase of cotton is the African bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera Hb). The African bollworm alone can cause up to 100% yield loss, if un-checked. Cotton is also attacked by other important pests including the cotton stainer (Dysdercus spp.), cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glov) and cotton red spider mite (Tetranychus teralius L.). Use of synthetic pyrethroids in cot-ton lead to serious explosion of aphid and mite populations. IPM-chemical, cultural, biological and use of resistant cultivars are best for control of cotton pests. Pest control and related activi-ties take up about 32% of production costs. Introduction of Bt-cotton will indirectly lead to better control of the sucking pests while increasing activity of natural enemies. Bt-cotton will lead to reduced spraying with pesticides hence reduced environmental pollu-tion and minimal deleterious effects on non-target organisms and human beings. It will also decrease the chances of development of resistance and cross resistance to pesticides.

Bt-cotton Introduction ProcessThe Kenya Agricultural Research Insti-tute through its Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) forwarded to the then National Biosafety Committee (NBC) an application to introduce Bollgard I® cotton seeds of variety NuCotn 35B containing cryIAc gene in February 2001 which was approved in February 2003. The seeds were used for screen-house tests to establish the direct or indirect effect of CryIAc protein toxin in the cotton plants on Trichogramma spp., cotton aphid (A. gossypii) and its efficacy on African bollworm

(H. armigera). The then NBC and the Kenya Standing Committee on Im-ports and Exports (KSTCIE) approved importation of more Bt-cotton seeds

of transgenic varieties DP404BG and DP448B and isolines DP4049, DP5415 and DP5690 in December 2005. The aim was to establish the efficacy of the Cry IAc proteins on the lepidopteran insects under field conditions where pest pressures are experienced. The confined field trials were initiated in December 2005 at KARI-Mwea. It was expected that cotton varieties carrying the gene would exhibit resistance to the bollworm complex of cotton and particularly the African bollworm (H. armigera) commonly found in the cot-ton growing areas of Kenya. The appli-cation to introduce Bollgard II® cotton containing cry1Ac and cry2Ab2 genes was forwarded in March 2007 and ap-proved in April 2007. The objectives of the introduction of Bollgard II® are similar to Bollgard I®. The rationale of shifting from Bollgard I® to Bollgard II® is that Bollgard I® is being phased out as the two genes in Bollgard II® offers better control of lepidopteran pests and better management of resistance.

Collaborating InstitutionsMonsanto International SarlMonsanto International Sarl of Swit-zerland through their local company Monsanto Kenya Ltd is the main spon-sor of the Bt-cotton research in Kenya. The company owns the cry1Ac and cry2Ab2 genes being tested in the Bt-cotton project. KARI entered into two agreements for field testing of Bollgard I® and Bollgard II® cotton seeds with Monsanto International Sarl. Monsanto also provided the transgenic Bt-cotton seeds containing the Monsanto gene cry1Ac and variety BGII 06Z604D containing cry1Ac and cry2Ab2 genes. The varieties so far provided include transgenic NuCotn 35B, DP404BG and DP448B and isolines DP4049, DP5415 and DP5690.

Delta and Pine LandDelta and Pine Land provided the transgenic Bt-cotton seeds containing the Monsanto gene cry1Ac and variety BGII 06Z604D containing cry1Ac and cry2Ab2 genes. The varieties so far pro-vided include transgenic NuCotn 35B, DP404BG and DP448B and isolines DP4049, DP5415 and DP5690.

International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA)ISAAA has been involved in advocacy of Bt-cotton through their financial and logistical support for visits to the Bt-cotton Confined Field Trials at KARI-Mwea.

Africa Harvest The Africa Harvest has been involved in support in preparation for the visits.

African Biotechnology Stakehold-ers Forum (ABSF)

The African Biotechnology Stakehold-ers Forum has been involved in logis-tical support in preparation for the visits by the GoK officials and cotton stakeholders.

Overview of Bt-Cotton Research in Kenya

Contd. on Page 17


Project Seeks to Deliver Virus Resistant Cassava for East Africa’s Farmers


Cassava is the staple food for over 600 mil-lion people across the globe and is a source

of livelihoods for even more. It is also the second most impor-tant staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa. According to FAO sta-tistics, the crop is cultivated in over 11 million hectares across the African continent – by far the largest area under cassava farming globally. The impor-tance of cassava as a food crop or its immense industrial po-tential cannot therefore be disaffirmed. However, In re-cent times, especially in sub-Saharan Africa region the crop has increasingly been ravaged two destructive viruses – the Cassava Brown streak Disease (CBSD) and the Cassava Mosa-ic Disease (CMD). It is approxi-mated that CBSD for example causes an 80% yield loss there-by significantly threatening the livelihoods of families which are dependent on cassava.

The project dubbed Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa (VIRCA) is therefore spear-heading research in Kenya and Uganda to develop new farmer preferred cassava varieties which are resistant to the two viruses. In Kenya the project is being led by the Kenya Ag-ricultural Research Institute (KARI) while the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NACRRI) is lead-ing research in Uganda. Other partners involved in the project include the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the In-

ternational Institute of Tropi-cal Agriculture (IITA), the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Ap-plications (ISAAA) AfriCenter and the Science Foundation for Livelihoods and Development (SCIFODE).

VIRCA project is therefore joining the ranks of other bio-tech projects within the East Africa region expected to de-liver biotech/GM crops that will drastically enhance food security. In Kenya for example, there is good progress in field trials of maize for pest resist-ance and drought tolerance, cotton for resistance to boll-worm, sweet potato for virus resistance among other efforts. In Uganda, field trials of trans-genic banana for improved vitamin A and Iron content, banana bacterial wilt disease resistance, black Sigatoka re-sistance, cotton for resistance to the bollworm pest and her-bicide tolerance, cassava for resistance to viral diseases, maize for drought tolerance among others are on-going or have been completed.

The project is currently at the research stage with initial results showing positive indi-cators for the development of this new cassava variety. This is therefore a cause for optimism that in the near future East Af-rican cassava farmers will be able to harness the potential benefits of this new cassava variety for food and even eco-nomic/industrial purposes. n

Industrial uses of cassava A cassava plant ravaged by the CMD virus

Field trial site at KARI Kakamega research center

Cassava plantlets in a greenhouse at KARI Kakamega

research center where the VIRCA research is based

Cassava tubers affected by CBSD

Cassava is the 2nd most important subsector for growth-inducing development

The 19 member countries to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

(COMESA) trading bloc could soon have a regional-level biosafety risk assessment mechanism. The move to develop a regional framework for biosafety has been on-going since 2001 after a meeting of the COMESA Ministers of Agriculture recommended the development of a common policy framework to mitigate any potential adverse impacts of GM crops on trade, food security and access to emergency food aid in the region. The initiative is being implemented through a project dubbed RABESA (Regional Approach to Biotechnology and Biosafety Policy in Eastern and Southern Africa) project.

The RABESA project which is now in its ninth year of operation has to date held at least 19 national and regional consultative meetings to ensure concrete inputs by the mem-ber states into the proposed policy framework. The main output from national and regional consultative processes carried out under RABESA have primarily focused on harmoni-zation of - commercial planting of GMOs, trade in GM products and delivery of emergency food aid with GM content. In 2009, the COMESA Secretariat initiated the drafting of COMESA Regional Biosafety Policies

and Guidelines. A Biosafety Roadmap and a Communication Strategy have also been drafted. The roadmap seeks to ensure that the efforts of all the member countries are aligned to achieving the common project goals. In addition, the COMESA communi-cation and advocacy strategy aims at supporting and creating awareness on the benefits associated with regional harmonization.

The policies and guidelines, the Roadmap and Communication Strategy drafts have been subjected to several rounds of technical review and stakeholder consultations to reflect comments and inputs from COMESA member states. A final regional workshop was held in May 2012 to review and validate feedback, comments and recommendations incorporated into the revised draft from the national workshops. It is therefore anticipated that come 2013, these draft documents will be adopted by the COMESA Ministers of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources heralding a new regime for handling GM products in the region.

Countries in the COMESA region are characterized by porous borders. In order to realise increased gains in intra-COMESA trade, harmonisation of biosafety policies and their rational implementation will play a significant role in social and economic

development within the block. Implementation of a regional initiative of RABESA’s magnitude calls for strong and sustained partnerships. T h e C O M E S A B i o t e c h n o l o g y and Biosafety Program has been financially supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The partners that have supported COMESA in the implementation of the RABESA project since inception include the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA); the Program for Biosafety Systems (IFPRI/PBS); the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA AfriCenter) and the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS).

RABESA AchievementsThe RABESA project has been

implemented in two distinct but interrelated phases focused on the ultimate goal of bringing together COMESA members to cooperate in handling biosafety issues at the re-gional level. The following key activi-ties and achievements were recorded.

Significant Policy Studies: Policy studies were conducted to generate evidence required to support realization of the project objectives. Policy studies were commissioned in

three areas:(i) potential farm-income gains

from the adoption of GM crops; (ii) The magnitude of commercial

export risks associated with GM crops; and

(iii) The delivery of emergency food aid with GM content in the COMESA region.

The food aid policy study revealed that sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is the largest recipient of emergency food aid globally, and COMESA countries receive 85% of all emergency food aid to SSA. About 50% of the food aid ar-rives as in-kind donations from coun-tries that are leading producers of GM crops, including USA and Canada.

Creation of a biotechnology and biosafety unit within the COMESA secretariat This is a major spill over of the project. The unit has emerged as COMESA’s focal point on biotechnol-ogy and biosafety issues.

Lessons Learnt from RABESA ImplementationImportant lessons have been learnt during the implementation of the RABESA project over the past eight years. Key among these are:

n Issues of regional harmonization s h o u l d b e h a n d l e d i n a

consultative, participatory and inclusive manner.

n R e g i o n a l h a r m o n i z a t i o n of biosafety policies is both a technical and political process that requires strong political will and commitment at various levels within member states. RABESA was initiated by the Ministers and it has been on the agenda of 5 COMESA Ministerial meetings which are held once in a year and implementation pace has been determined by resolutions and recommendations made during the meetings.

n N a t i o n a l s o v e r e i g n t y i s a fundamental and sensitivity issue. The convergence and divergence between national and regional frameworks has to be clearly spelt out and pertinent concerns handled carefully to dispel fears that the regional process may infringe on or override national interests and decision making powers.

n Awareness and outreach efforts need to be stepped up in order for countries to appreciate the benefits of a harmonized approach in biosafety decision making. This necessitates the need for a focused and demand-driven communication and advocacy strategy. n

COMESA States Focus on Regional Biosafety Risk Assessment MechanismB I O S A F E T Y R I S K A S S E S S M E N T M E C H A N I S M


Maichomo MW, Mutuku JM, Murilla GA KARI-TRC P.O Box 362-00902, Kikuyu

BACKGROUND

The main objective of biotechnolo-gies in reproduction is to increase reproductive efficiency and rates

of animal genetic improvement thereby contributing to an increased output from the livestock sector. They also of-fer potential for greatly extending the multiplication and transport of genetic material and for conserving unique ge-netic resources in reasonably available forms for possible future use. However, many of our Kenyan farmers do not know that a cow can produce as many as 10 calves in one year. This has been made possible through multiple ovula-tion and embryo transfer technology (ET). Available information indicates that 3-4 calves can be produced per super-ovulation on average, making it possible to induce a cow to super-ovulate 4-5 times a year resulting in 10 calves per cow per year (http://www.livestockkenya.com/index.php/cattle/240-embryo-transfer-in-cattle ). However, due to its high cost and not being readily available, ET is not wide-spread in Kenya. This is despite its obvi-ous benefits which have been exploited by only a few individual farmers and big farms that can afford the technology. Over time, the demand has been gradu-ally increasing as more farmers want to improve productivity of their livestock. In Kenya, uptake and adoption of these biotechnologies are at different levels, and involves various organizations in-cluding ILRI, ADC, KARI, University of Nairobi, CAIS, several commercial diary farms across the country and the Kenya Livestock Breeders Organization under the umbrella body of East Africa Semen and Embryo Transfer Associa-tion (EASETA).The selection of KARI-Naivasha as the Dairy Centre of Excel-lence in East Africa and establishment of the ET facility at KARI Muguga will enable institution to take its place as a leading player in the dairy industry by providing the much needed support to the small scale dairy farmers.

ET IN KENYA – HISTORICAL PER-SPECTIVEIn their review ‘Case for embryo trans-fer for Kenyan Dairy Farmers’, Chero-gony and Kariuki (ref) showed that non-surgical ET, as we know it today, only succeeded in the late 1970’s; the first commercial surgical ET having been conducted in 1970 and was very unpopular. In 1978, the first batch of frozen embryos was imported into Kenya, the use of which resulted in a conception rate of 20%. This technique was fully established in 1990s at ILRI by David Kennedy. Private farms and ADC benefited from these services with ADC

recording success rates of 50% follow-ing transfer of 100 embryos. However, with his exist, the project went into a lull until August 2005 when EASETA was established and registered the following year. KARI is one of the corporate mem-bers. Currently, this organization trains core team of ET practitioners and also helps farmers to establish ET facilities and market their products.

EMBRYO TRANSFERArtificial Insemination (AI) has already had a major impact on cattle, sheep, goat, pig, turkey and chicken improve-ment programmes of developed coun-tries by accelerating breeding progress primarily through increased intensity of selection of males and through diffusion of breeding progress (FAO, 2000). Al-though classical livestock breeding has been very successful, it is a slow process and several decades may be needed to breed a livestock population with improved genetic traits. Biotechnology makes it easier to produce animals with superior genetic traits, and to multiply these animals rapidly. An important advance is Embryo Transfer (ET) technique, which has been used widely in the cattle industry to improve the genetic merit of populations at a greater rate than can be achieved by conven-tional selection methods. It is accepted to be one of the most crucial procedures for achieving optimal pregnancy rates during assisted reproduction. Improved genes are in this way transmitted to a greater number of offspring, while the interval between generations is reduced. This speeds up the genetic improvement of farm animals, and helps reduce the cost. Embryo transfer technology can greatly contribute to research and genetic improvement in local breeds (Rege, 1996). There are two procedures presently available for production of embryos from donor females; the in vivo and the in vitro embryo production methods. In vivo method consists of super-ovulation, followed by AI and then flushing of the uterus to recover the embryos. On the other hand, in vitro fertilization (IVF) consists of recovery of eggs from the ovaries of the female then maturing and fertilizing them outside the body until they are ready for implantation into fos-ter females. IVF facilitates recovery of a large number of embryos from a single female at a reduced cost thus making ET techniques economically feasible on a larger scale. Additionally, IVF makes available embryos suitable for cloning. The principal benefit of embryo trans-fer is the possibility to produce several progeny from a female, just as AI can produce many offspring from one male. For example, the average lifetime pro-duction of a cow can be increased from 4 to 25 calves (Rege, 1996). Increas-ing the reproductive rate of selected

females has the following benefits: genetically outstanding animals can contribute more to the breeding pro-gramme, particularly if their sons are being selected for use in AI; the rate of genetic change can be enhanced with specially designed breeding schemes which take advantage of increased intensity of female selection combined with increased generation turnover; transport of embryos is much cheaper than that of live animals; risk of import-ing diseases is avoided; facilitates rapid expansion of rare but economically important genetic stocks; and the stress to exotic genotypes can be avoided by having them born to dams of local breeds rather than importing them as live animals. ET, enhanced by Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer (MOET), al-lows acceleration of genetic progress through increased selection intensity of females, and freezing of embryos enables low cost transport of genetic material across continents, and also conservation of diploid genomes (Cun-ningham, 1990; Jasiorowski, 1990). MOET may also be used to produce crossbred replacement females whilst only maintaining a small number of the straightbreds (FAO, 2000).

RATIONALE AND JUSTIFICATION FOR ESTABLISHING ET AT KARIKARI has some of the best agricultural research facilities in the country. Three of the 23 main centres are hosted at Muguga, Kikuyu, on a 3000 acre prime land that is planned to be the centre for ET as well as studies on animal nutrition. A quarantine laboratory at the Trypanosomiasis Research Centre was fully equipped by KAPAP for ET, however, a shortage of animal breeders has delayed its operations. In order to build the critical capacity required to initiate the activities, KARI has devel-oped a Memorandum of Understanding with EASETA. TRC hosts a biobank with a large collection of semen, DNA, parasites, serum, and blood amongst other biological specimens which are available to researchers. The centre also has well equipped molecular biology laboratories and undertakes training in genomics at national and regional level. It is expected that this centre will work very closely with the dairy centre of excellence in Naivasha to ensure ex-cellent service to farmers. In collabora-tion with ILRI and AGREF, KARI plans to assist livestock farmers in pastoral areas identify, document and conserve productive indigenous breeds that have special traits for future exploitation.

CONTRIBUTION OF LIVESTOCK SECTOR TO THE ECONOMYLivestock production plays an impor-tant role in the Kenyan economy. It contributes 10% of the national GDP

and about 50% of the agricultural GDP, which in turn contributes about 25% of the national GDP (Odhiambo, 2006). The dairy industry in Kenya is one of the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has a well developed produc-tion and processing capacity based on over 3million improved cattle. Dairy farming earns close to $ 2 billion, rep-resenting between 6-8% of GDP and supports over 1 million smallholder dairy households. One feature of these potentially very important smallholder dairy production systems is their rapid expansion, driven essentially by the urban demand and the opportunities to generate income (Devendra, 2001).The sub-sector is reeling from the ef-fects of post-election violence, which saw farmers lose a lot of animals. The loss, coupled with the combined effects of escalating cost of diesel used to power equipment at the farms, and high prices of livestock feeds due to the rising cost of the raw material such as maize and wheat, are negatively affecting the sub-sector. A large number of dairy farmers who had obtained loans from Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) and other financial institutions are also strug-gling to repay the money. The loss has now pushed most dairy farmers into abject poverty while being expected to continue servicing the huge loans they had secured from various financial institutions. Whereas the cost of diesel and that of animal feeds has continued to rise, the producer price for raw milk remains constant. These factors would adversely affect milk production in the country unless urgent measures are taken to enable farmers enhance production. Enhancing the breeding of heifers is seen as the only option available for the country as local farmers have no sufficient resources to import pedigree cows as very few countries in Africa rear quality dairy cows. Although AI has been widely used, its success has been limited due to problems of heat detection, timely in-semination and the high costs of setting up an effective AI programme in rural areas. Use of technology such as embryo transfer could enable farmers breed more heifers within a short period. Pro-duction of more quality heifers is also deemed to substantially lower the cost of the dairy animals hence making them affordable to many small scale farmers. Since majority of ET is from elite cows that have not been selected as bull mothers but with the desire of maximiz-ing their impact on the genetic base of a herd, ET would increase the availability of replacement heifers produced from elite cows compared with what would be available from routine AI or natural service bulls.

Use of Embryo Transfer for Multiplication of Superior Animal Breeds in Kenya


Contd. on Page 19


Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal crop for global production, after rice, maize, wheat and barley

(FAOSTAT, 2005). However, it is ranked second to maize in grain requirement within sub-Saharan Africa. It is a staple food for 300 million people in Africa. Sorghum is also used as for non-food applications. Sorghum has an advantage over the other cereals, as it is able to grow in marginal areas lacking sufficient moisture and fertility unfeasible to support maize, wheat or rice. Sorghum is a high energy valued food, however, it has poor protein digestibility, poor protein quality i.e. low in lysine, tryptophan, threonine, and sulfur amino acids. It is also has low bioavailable iron and zinc and low pro-vitamin A content. Globally at least two billion people live with vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Vitamin A, iodine, iron, zinc and folate pivotal roles in maintaining healthy and productive populations. In Africa, about 46% of pregnant women suffer from iron deficiency while 49% of the preschool are vitamin A deficient. Progress has been made to control micronutrient deficiencies through supplementation and food fortification, but new approaches are needed, especially to reach the rural poor. Biofortification is one of the approaches in addressing these deficiencies and success has been achieved in developing the orange sweet potato. The advantage of biofortification is that it is a one-time investment and the impact is easily accessible to the rural poor.

The African Biofortified Sorghum (ABS) project started in 2005 to address some of these preceding nutritional deficiencies of sorghum through development of biofortifed sorghum for the arid and semi-arid tropical areas of Africa. The project set to address the problem through the biotransformation of sorghum followed by introgression of novel traits into locally adopted sorghum varieties. Presently, ABS project has settled on developing and deploying sorghum with enhanced amount of pro-vitamin A to meet about 50% of the daily requirements as the first priority product. In future when funds become available the second priority product will be to develop sorghum with enhanced Fe and Zn in addition to pro-vitamin A, followed the sorghum with enhanced protein quality and digestibility as the third priority product.

Phase I of the ABS was funded by the Grant Challenge for Global Health of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation from 2005-2010. Phase II of the project that commenced in July 2010 is partly funded by Howard Buffet Foundation. ABS Phase I was implemented through a Consortium of 14 institutions consisting of the technology development team: DuPont Pioneer USA, and CSIR South Africa; the product development team, involving scientist from the International Crops

Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT India, the Agricultural Research Council for South Africa (ARC), South Africa, University of Pretoria- South Africa, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), the Institut de l›Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles de Burkina Faso (INERA) and the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) in Nigeria. The fourth team was the Enabling Environment Team that included Project management, biosafety and regulatory, communication and capacity building key institutions involved were- Africa Harvest B i o t e c h n o l o g y F o u n d a t i o n I n t e r n a t i o n a l , A g r i c u l t u r a l Technology Foundation (AATF), and CORAF Senegal among others.

ABS Phase I (2005-2010) focused on proof of concept. Key results included- development of a high efficiency sorghum transformation protocols, which created a high throughput transformation system in sorghum; development of events- ABS 188 (with increased of pro-vitamin A (β-carotene) and enhanced iron and zinc bioavailability in the sorghum grains achieved through 80% reduction in phytate; ABS 203 event with enhanced pro-vitamin A alone, ABS 032 with improved protein quality and digestibility. ABS confined field trails have been carried out in USA, in Kenya and in Nigeria. The total carotenoid and beta carotene (pro-vitamin A) reached very significant levels; the first-ever “golden” sorghum was produced. This first phase also included capacity building training of 12 post doctorates, scientists and sorghum breeders in the transformation technology at DuPont Pioneer, USA.

Preliminary ABS Phase II product development has involved crossing ABS traits into local adapted sorghum varieties in Kenya and Nigeria. ABS 188 with enhanced vitamin A, improved bioavailability of Fe and Zn has been crossed to local sorghum varieties under confined field trials (CFT) in Kenya to produce F1 generation with the local varieties. Successful crosses are identified using the dip stick method for expression of phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) protein. The ABS traits will be backcrossed to popular Kenyan sorghum varieties and the resultant hybrids evaluated with the objective of analysing the performance and the stability of the ABS traits in different genetic backgrounds. In addition, the trials also aims at analysing the effect of the nutritional genes on fitness of hybrids of ABS with sorghum wild relatives. The work is being carried out in the confined field trial situated at KARI Kiboko with the keen observance of the biosafety regulations and the resultant seeds are stored at the KARI Biosafety Level II green house. Biosafety regulations are observed at every step, and the biosafety regulators from Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and the National Biosafety

Authority (NBA) oversee all the major activities. However, it is noteworthy that ABS 188 CFT provides us with preliminary data on stability and performance of ABS traits in local sorghum genotypes and under local climatic condition. ABS 203 that will form the first priority product is undergoing CFT testing at DuPont Pioneer and will soon be introduced into Kenya and backcrossed to local sorghum varieties for product development.

References: Carter, P.R.; Hicks, D.R.; Oplinger, E.S.; Doll, J.D.; Bundy, L.G.; Schuler,

R.T.; and Holmes, B.J. 1989. “Grain Sorghum (Milo).” Alternative Field Crops Manual. www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/sorghum.htmlFAOSTAT data, 2005

By Kimani E., Obukosia S., Gichuki S., Daniel Kamanga, Florence Wambugu, Mwasame E., Nzeve D., Taracha C., Ngichabe C. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Africa Harvest Biotechnology Foundation International

Overview of the African Biofortified Sorghum Project


Crosses of wild sorghum relatives and ABS 188

Biosafety regulators overseeing the complete destruction of the waste sorghum material

Pre-harvest training


DH lines harvested in KenyaPedigree #DH lines

planted#DH lines discarded

#DH lines harvested

La posta seq C7-F96-1-2-1-1-B-B-B/CML395/CML395

108 29 79

La posta seq C7-F96-1-2-1-1-B-B-B/CML444/CML44 124 25 99

La posta seq C7-F96-1-2-1-1-B-B-B/CML312SR=MAS[MSR/312]-117-2-2-1-2-B4-B-B-B-B/CML312SR

47 12 35


124 57 67

La posta seq C7-F71-1-2-1-2-B-B-B/CML44/CML444 181 32 149


133 29 104


48 13 35

CML395/[M37W/ZM607Bf37sr-2-3sr-6-2-x]-8-2-x-1-BB-B-Xp84C1F27-3-3-B-1-B]F29-1-2-2x[KIIMAST94A]-30/MSV-03-101-08-B-B-1Xp-84c1F27-4-1-4-B-3-B]F2-1-2-1-1-1-BxCML486]-1-1/CML395

70 14 56

CML395La posta seq C7-F102-1-3-1-2-B-B-B/CML395

19 5 14

CML488La posta seq C7-F102-1-3-1-2-B-B-B/CML488

41 14 27

Total 895 231 664

From Page 10

For evaluation of per sc disease on DH, DH lines were planted at Kiboko for seed increase, Kakamega for Tur-cicum and GLS and at Zimbabwe for MSV screening. The seed was sent for quality control and finger printing.

WEMA DH Testcross FormationIn Feb 2010, 664 DH lines were planted to form testcross one tester was used from opposite groups. A total of 767 different TWH were har-vested in July 2010. Test crosses were planted at Kiboko under managed stress conditions and the best hybrids will be available for NARs for testing and release.

Issues for future of DH at CIMMYT:To upscale haploids production and advance development of tropical and subtropical inducers To improve capacity, safety and ef-ficiency of haploid doubling facilities

Questions Relating to InducernAlternative/ improved marker

systemsnIncreased induction ratenAdaptation to tropical climate.

Question relating to genome dou-bling nGenerate background effectnOptimized procedure ( with

colchicines)nAre there other procedures

without colchicines?nIncreased doubling/success

rate

Summary1. Homozygous lines are obtained

in short time.2. Maximal genetic variation

among lines; increased selec-tion gain.

3. Reduces population size for gene pyramiding substantially.

4. Increased power for QTL detec-tion.

5. CIMMYT embarked on DH technology aimed at developing tropical inducers as well as DH lines from elite germplasm.

Safety issues are still important in the chromosomes doubling stage with toxicVB ReferencesnCOE E.H., 1959: A line of maize

with high haploid frequency. Am. Nat. 93: 381-382.nGAYEN P., J.K. MADAN, R.

KUMAR, K.R. SARKAR, 994 Chromosome doubling in haploids through colchicine. Maize Genet. Coop. Newsletter 68: 65.nSARKAR K.R., A. PANDEY, P.

GAYEN, J.K. MANDAN, R. KU-MAR, J.K.S.nSACHAN, 1994: Stabilization of

high haploid inducer lines- Maize Genet. Coop. Newsletter 68: 64-65.nD. C., and R. F. Nyvall; 1999:

Nematodes that attack corn in Iowa; Iowa State University Extension Publication PM-1027; Ames, IA. Online:nB.M. Prasanna, Vijay Chaikam

and George Mahuku (eds). 2012: Doubled Haploid Technology in Maize Breeding- Theory and Practice; Mexico, D. F., CIMMYT.nTestcross performance of doubled

haploid maize lines derived from tropical adapted backcross popu-lations nYoseph Beyene1*, Stephen

Mugo1, Kiru Pillay2, Tadele Tefera1, Sammy Ajanga3, Stephen Njoka3, Haron Karaya1, John

Gakunga1nBouchez, A., Gallais A., 2000:

Efficiency of the use of doubled-haploids in recurrent selection for combining ability- Crop Sci 40: 23-29

nBriggs FN, Knowles PF, 1967. Introduction to Plant Breeding. Reinhold Publishing Corporation, USA 426

nBordes, J., Charmet, G., Dumas de Vaulx, R., Pollacsek, M., Beckert, M., Gallais, A., Lapierre, A. – 2007: Doubled-haploid versus single-seed descent and S1-family variation for testcross performance in a maize population. Euphytica 154: 41 -51

nCorn lethal necrosis - Douglas, J. Jardine- Extension Specialist, Plant Pathology

nDoupnik, B.L. Jr., 1994: Corn Lethal Necrosis Tests- 1994 Corn Hybrid Reactions and Disease Update: UNL/SCREC 94/5.

nCorn Lethal Necrosis, pp. 68-69 in Compendium of Corn Diseases, Second Edition, M.C. Shurtleff, Ed. APS Press, St. Paul, MN.

nCharacterization of Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus Associated with Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease in ChinaJournal of Phytopathology Volume 159, Issue 3, pages 191–193, March, 2011

nRegistration of IBM2 SYN10 Doubled Haploid Mapping Population of Maize: T. Hussain*, P. Tausend, G. Graham and J. Ho

nSeitz, G. 2005: The use of doubled haploids in corn breeding; p. 1–7

nIn Proc. 41st Annu. Illinois Corn Breeders School, Urbana, IL., 7–8 Mar. 2005. Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

nChase, S.S., 1951: Production of homozygous diploids of maize from monoploids. Agron. J., 44:263–267.


Practical Use 0f Doubled Haploids in Maize Breeding Programs in Kenya

( Note Research Papers Courtesy KARI)


Program for Biosafety Systems-BBIA project proposal IP01-06 “Baseline biodiversity impact studies of transgen-ic Bt-cotton on wild ecosystems in East African region” was prepared by scien-tists from three institutions of the East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in response to proposal call for the year 2006. The project funded by the Program for Biosafety Systems through the BBI program was awarded USD 327,878 to run for a period of three years with Tanzanian Tropical Pesticide Research Institute (TPRI) as the lead institution in collaboration with Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and Makerere University (Uganda). KARI would receive USD 75,572 for a period of three years.

National Biosafety Authority (NBA)

The National Biosafety Authority is responsible for the implementation of the guidelines and regulations for biosafety in biotechnology. The NBA is also responsible for all matters related to the development and introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) such as the review of relevant propos-als/applications and may recommend conditions under which the proposed work should be conducted. The NBA also ensures that the adequate testing of GMO or their products has been per-formed in the country of origin. In the case of the Bt-cotton project, the then National Biosafety Committee (NBC) provided all necessary approvals for the conduct of the work.

KARI-Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)The KARI-IBC assisted in drawing up and vetted the application and research proposals in line with the applicable biosafety measures required by the then NBC. The application were forwarded to the then NBC by the IBC.

Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate ServiceKEPHIS is the regulatory agency man-dated to enforce the National Policy on biotechnology and Biosafety with respect to GM plants, insects and micro-organisms, among other mandates. KEPHIS has a regulatory role in GMO trials including issuance of import permits, facilities inspections, monitor-ing and inspection and to certify and register GMO seed. Under monitoring and inspection, KEPHIS also inspects quarantine facilities for certification before importation, starting with in-spection and approval of containment facilities (laboratories, screen houses and open quarantine facilities) for han-dling genetically engineered organisms as set out in the existing regulations and guidelines. A satisfactory inspection report of the containment facilities is required before an importation permit is issued. All the above activities were conducted for Bt-cotton by KEPHIS

inspectors and reports made to the then NBC.

Accomplished WorkCharacterization and quantifica-tion of arthropods in cotton pro-duction systems in Central, East-ern and Coastal regions of Kenya. The data generated in the reported study will be used as a bench mark in future impact studies to be conducted after the introduction of transgenic cot-ton in Kenya.

Screen-house evaluation of trans-genic cotton NuCotn 35B for im-pact on selected target and non-target arthropods. The findings of this work confirmed that Bt-cotton had no effect on the test species parasitic wasp Trichogramma when directly or indirectly exposed to the Bt-toxin and had no effect on cotton aphids but was effective on bollworm larvae.

Field evaluation of transgenic Bt-cotton DP448B and DP 404BG for efficacy on African bollworms and its impact on non-target spe-cies. The results of the reported work showed that the transgenic Bt-cotton varieties compared to their isolines and the commercial local variety effectively controlled African bollworm and the cotton semi-looper and their damage on cotton plants. The transgenic Bt-cotton varieties had no significant effects on the populations of the non-target cotton pests and on the beneficial arthropod species studied.

Effect of Bt-cotton on beneficial arthropods and general species diversity. The results of the reported work showed that the effect of trans-genic cotton containing cry1Ac and cry2Ab2 Bt genes on arthropod species diversity was not detrimental.

Risk of the Bt-cotton intercrossing with commercial cotton varie-ties. The results showed that sexual compatibility exists between transgenic and non transgenic lines. Finding in open pollination experiment suggest that natural pollen mediated gene flow will occur up to 8 meters from the Bt source. To avoid hybridization with the conventional cotton, isolation distance would be necessary.

Cost Benefit Analysis of Transgen-ic Cotton. Seasonal data indicated that yields of the Bt varieties were significantly higher than those of the HART 89M. Transgenic cot-ton requires lesser pesticides relative to HART 89M and ensures that the fruiting structures are not damaged by the bollworms thus resulting in higher productivity. The significant reduction in pesticide use has the potential to reduce environmental poisoning thus preserving the ecosystem.

Effect of Bt-Cotton protein endo-toxin on below ground fauna and flora. The results of the reported work showed that growing of the Bt-Cotton

may not have any significant effect on the underground fauna.

Effect of Bt-Cotton on Insect Nem-atodes. The results of the reported work confirmed that the survival and ability of the entomopathogenic nema-todes to infect G. mellonella was not affected by exposure to the Bt protein toxins.

The impact of transgenic cotton on soil rhizosphere bacterial and fungal populations. The results of the reported work suggests that a single-year cultivation of transgenic Bt-Cotton may not affect the func-tional bacterial and fungi populations in rhizosphere soil.

Effect of transgenic cotton on nematode community assemblag-es. The results of the reported work showed that Bt-Cotton had no different effects on nematode abundance and genus richness from the conventional cotton.

Baseline Biodiversity Impact Studies of Transgenic Bt-Cotton on Wild Ecosystems. The results of the reported work showed that Bt-Cotton had no effect on arthropod biodiversity different from the con-ventional untransformed cotton. Wild cotton is available in the wilds of Kenya and home backyards.

Evaluation of Candidate Varieties for Transformation and Commer-cialization. Trials with the Monsanto varieties 06K485, 06K486 and 06K487 targeted for transformation were set up and are ongoing at Mpeketoni, Msa-baha, Mwea, Siaya.

Bt-Cotton Commercialization Taskforce. A taskforce spearheaded by KARI comprising of 12 members rep-resenting stakeholders from public and private sector was formed to oversee commercialization of Bt-Cotton. The taskforce was to put in place systems that would address issues of input supply, operations, distribution and marketing that will support the delivery pathway of transgenic seed in Kenya.

Bt-Cotton Commercialization ProcessA taskforce comprising of 12 members representing stakeholders from public and private sector was formed to over-see commercialization of Bt-Cotton. The taskforce was to put in place systems that would address issues of input supply, operations, distribution and marketing that will support the delivery pathway of transgenic seed in Kenya. The commercialization process entailed a three phased plan comprising initiation, strategy and implementation. The taskforce commenced its work in July 2010 by first identifying five fo-cal points of discussion subsequently forming five subcommittees to for each focal point. Specific terms of reference and timeframes were drawn for each subcommittee to guide through the de-liberations. The subcommittees worked within their mandates reporting back to the taskforce their outputs. The task-

force has realized major achievements including;

1. Establishment of mandatory tests required before clearance for open release and protocol development for the same.

2. Establishment of National Perfor-mance Trials for cotton varieties targeted for transformation i.e. 06K485, 06K486 and 06K487 which are ongoing.

3. Establishment of key research areas necessary after confined field trials

4. Formation of an outreach and stewardship secretariat and con-sequent identification of outreach and stewardship activities, chan-nels, target stakeholders, priority regions and implementing insti-tutions.

5. Identification of business part-ners, seed production areas, ac-quisition/production modalities and acreage for initial planting, drawing up tentative business models for seed multiplication, processing and distribution.

6. Establishment of demonstration sites for the varieties earmarked for transformation in various parts of the country.

7. Setting up of commercialization and product launch timelines. The Bt-Cotton stakeholders en-visage commercialization to start in 2014.

Summary of Achievements

1. Bollgard 11® Cotton variety con-taining cry1Ac and cry2Ab2 genes was approved for Confined Field trials.

2. Twelve Research Activities to-wards generation of data for regulators have been completed to date.

3. Outreach Activities including six stakeholder visits to Bt-Cotton sites, nine print media articles and nine radio presentations in vernacular and Kiswahili lan-guages have so far been accom-plished.

4. Four technical reports have so far been generated.

5. Twenty eight Publications in Con-ferences/Workshops proceeding were accomplished.

6. Three Local and 2 International study tours to Bt-Cotton trials and growing areas were accom-plished.

7. Twenty Local and seven Inter-national workshops have been attended.

8. Four papers have been submit-ted for publication in refereed journals.

9. Four merit awards were won by Project outputs. q


Overview of Bt-Cotton Research in KenyaFrom Page 12


By Otieno Owino (ScienceAfrica Correspondent)

The successful revival of commer-cial cotton growing in Kenya will require an inclusive participa-

tion of all stakeholders including the government, cotton growers, scientists and technology owners to come on board to revitalize the once lucrative cotton sector, a forum heard.This emerged at the Open Forum on Agriculture and Biotechnology (OFAB), a meeting that brings together researchers, policy makers, journalists and the civil society to share on new developments in the field of biotech-nology.

In a presentation on the success story of Colombia, Dr. Charles Waturu who is the principal investigator of the Bt. cotton project in Kenya and also the centre director for Kenya Agri-cultural Research Institute (KARI)- Thika shared lessons that Kenya could

emulate. Kenya is set to begin commerciali-

zation of Bt. cotton in 2014 about ten years after the process of introduction of transgenic cotton was authorized for trials by the National Biosafety Committee which is now the National Biosafety Authority.

If commercialized, Kenya will join Burkina Faso and South Africa as coun-tries growing the transgenic cotton in Africa as well as Egypt, Mauritius, Le-sotho, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda which are the other countries in the process of conducting field trials for both Bt. cotton and maize.

With a population of 46million people, and most cotton growing done by poor farmers, the Colombian situa-tion is almost similar to Kenya where constraints such as small land holdings, fluctuation of cotton prices and the presence of brokers and intermediaries have hampered cotton growing. But

this could change if concerted efforts are put in place to revamp the cotton growing industry.

Government intervention is critical if cotton growing is to become a reality. “The government of Colombia realized the importance of textile development and decided to revitalize it. Cotton is grown by poor people and so govern-ment had to support poor people,” said Dr. Waturu. The major contribution of the government is through the Mini-mum Guaranteed Price (MGP) which is a measure to stabilize to cotton prices.

According to Dr. Waturu, cotton associations have played an important role in Colombia. They are instrumen-tal in provision of farm inputs, rental land and machinery, labour for harvest-ing and also facilitate ginning.

The Kenyan case is different with farmers going it alone, mostly in small scale. The associations are also in-strumental in the implementation of

legislations on planting, pest control and stalk destruction. This has made it possible to effectively mitigate the effects of boll weevil. This is a practice that Kenya must put in place when it eventually goes into the commercializa-tion of cotton.

Dr. Waturu also stressed on the need to engage technology owners and cotton associations in the stewardship of the cotton production.

In addition, he cited the need to lo-cally produce Bt. cotton seeds so that they are well adapted to local condi-tions. Fixing of seed prices is also a necessity as is the promotion of large scale irrigated cotton and farming and collection and documentation of data on cotton production.

Kenya conducted trials for cotton in Athi, Mwea and Kirinyaga. The data from field trials in Mwea showed that Bt cotton is safe, effective and environ-mentally friendly.

Kenya to Commercialize Bt. Cotton by 2014

In order to debride necrotic tis-sue, larvae produce a mixture of proteolytic enzymes, including collagenase, which break down the necrotic tissue to a semi-liquid form, which can then be absorbed and digested. Their antibacterial properties are designed for self-defence; it is believed that they ingest microorganisms, which are then destroyed in their gut. There is evidence that they secrete chemicals with a broad-spectrum bactericidal effect. Dissection and culturing of different portion of the larvae midguts has revealed that whereas the foregut and midguts have bacteria, the hindguts are sterile The larvae also secrete am-monia, causing wounds to become more alkaline, which is believed to inhibit bacterial growth. Several substances secreted by maggots have been found to stimulate wound healing, with larval secre-tions inducing fibroblast migration into the wound space, facilitating tissue regeneration. As a result, maggots eliminate odours and kill malignant tissue producing a clean wound, free from necrotic residues. According to Prof. Boul-ton (2007)

“ M a g g o t s a r e t h e w o r l d ’ s smal lest surgeons. In fact they are better than surgeons - they are much cheaper and w o r k 2 4 h o u r s a d a y … … ” CURRENT STATUS OF MAGGOT THERAPYIn 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the British National Health Service (NHS) allowed the production and prescription of medicinal maggots for treatment of chronic wounds and today, any physician in the U.S. can prescribe maggot

therapy and over 4,000 thera-pists are using maggot therapy in 20 countries. In the UK, The Biotherapeutic, Education & Research Foundation was es-tablished in 2003 for the pur-pose of supporting patient care, education, and research in maggot therapy and the other forms of symbiotic medicine (diagnosing and/or treating diseases with live animals, such as maggot therapy, leech therapy, honey bee therapy, pet therapy & sniffer dogs, ich-thiotherapy, bacteriotherapy etc). Today there are 300 centres in the US and about 1000 centres in the UK and Europe doing maggot therapy. In Africa, use of maggots to treat wounds has been reported in South Africa (Du Plessis et. al., 2011) and in TRC we have a facility to produce sterile larvae for use by local hospitals

Justification for the establish-ment of Maggot rearing facil-ity at KARI, MugugaTo most, the mention of the word “maggots” and wounds conjures images of painful bedsores that maybe occasionally be infested with the dreaded flesh eating maggots. In livestock and in some cases humans, maggots that feed on live tissue may cause myiasis which presents a serious problem for livestock industries, causing severe economic losses worldwide. On the other end of the spectrum are species of flies which, in their life cycle will produce maggots that feed exclusively on dead tissue.

This feature is what has been ex-ploited by the medical fraternity in Maggot Therapy (MT) or Mag-got Debridement Therapy (MDT) or biosurgery. We set to describe the possibility of introducing the

technique in Kenya, as we have introduced a Lucilia sericata rearing facility at the Trypanoso-miasis Research Centre – KARI (KARI-TRC) with a view to col-laborating with local hospitals to introduce an alternative method of managing wounds in the country. This is in appreciation of the fact that where they occur, they cause considerable morbidities and loss of productivity, especially when the wounds lead to loss of limbs through amputations and long term medical care.

WAY FORWARDIn addition to domesticating the production of Lucilia sericata, a programme of senstisation of both medical practitioners and patients needs to be mounted to deal with the “yak” factor associated with the use of maggots. Search will be done to identify local species of flies that can be used in the therapy. Increased awareness may facilitate its use in conjunction with established treatments, hope-fully in the setting of prospective clinical trials. Larval therapy may decrease antibiotic use, prevent hospital admission, and decrease outpatient visits. As antibiotic resistance becomes increasingly prevalent, this ancient remedy may once again be at the forefront of human survival.The nature of secretions produced by colonised Lucilia is another area of study. In Wales, scientists have discovered a new antibiotic in Lucilia larva secretions that is 100% effective against Methicillin Resistant Streptococcus aureus (MSRA), a leading cause of am-putations and death for affected patients. Laboratory studies are underway to isolate and identify enzyme systems and antimicro-

bial agents produced by different species of fly, which may shed more light on the mechanism of action. This research may yield topical or intravenous therapies with improved efficacy, without the need for maggot application. As most wounds are treated in the primary care setting, there is now a tendency to prescribe larval therapy in the home for people who do not have to be hospital-ized. This should prove to be cost effective, decreasing hospital ad-missions and the need for surgical intervention.

CONCLUSIONSThe materials used in the compi-lation of this story was gathered whilst the author was on a1-month study tour of the Slovak Academy of Science in August 2011 on a project “Introduction of the Mag-got Debridement Therapy for management of Chronic wounds in Kenya” supported by the Slovak Government. SELECTED REFERENCESOgunlesi F.B.: Challenges Of Car-ing For Diabetic Foot Ulcers In Resource-Poor Settings. The Inter-net Journal of Advanced Nursing Practice. 2010 Volume 10 Number 2. DOI: 10.5580/1d6d –

University of Manchester (2007, May 3). Maggots Rid Patients Of Antibiotic-resistant Infection, MRSA. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 22, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releas-es/2007/05/070503094447.htm

Posnett, J., Franks, P.J. (2007) The costs of skin breakdown and ulceration in the UK. In: Pownall, M. (ed) Skin Breakdown: The Silent Epidemic. Hull: Smith & Nephew Foundation.

Swansea University (2008), Au-gust 5). Multi-tasking Maggots In Superbug Showdown. ScienceDai-ly. Retrieved March 24, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /re-leases/2008/08/080805155624.htm

Martin, D. L. (2003) Maggot debridement therapy in the treatment of nonhealing chronic wounds. Master of Physician Assis-tant Thesis, University of Wichita

Sherman RA, Pechter EA. (1988) Maggot therapy: a review of the therapeutic

applications of fly larvae in human medicine, especially for treating osteomyelitis

Med Vet Entomol; 2:225–30.

Sherman RA. (2003) Maggot therapy for treating diabetic foot ulcers unresponsive to

conventional therapy. Diabetes Care 26:446–51.

Beasley, W.D, and Hirst, G. (2004) Making a meal of MRSA—the role of biosurgery in hospital-acquired infection, Journal of Hospital In-fection 56 (1), Pages 6–9

Du Plessis, H. J. C. 2011. The uti-lisation of maggot debridement therapy in Pretoria. South Africa Wound Healing Southern Africa 2011 Volume 4 No 2 80-83

Richard Maino: Faster relief for pa-tients with chronic wounds. http://www.ukti.gov.uk/lps/sciencetech-nology/item/356146.html

Source: KARI-Trypanosomiasis Research Centre, P.O. Box 362, Kikuyu-00902, [email protected]; [email protected]

Introducing Fly Maggots for the Treatment of Chronic Wounds in KenyaFrom Page 11



By George Achia

In order to achieve rapid and sustained socio-economic development, institutions

of higher learning must become leaders in innovation and prod-uct development.

This call was made by Dr. Roy Mugiira, deputy director of research, in the ministry of higher education, science and technology who spoke on behalf of the minister Prof. Marga-ret Kamar at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) during the university’s annual scien-tific conference.

For a long time, said Dr. Mugiira, local researchers and innovators have immensely contributed to knowledge crea-tion. However, the uptake and application of such knowledge have largely remained elusive due to infrastructural chal-lenges.

“It is of great concern that Kenya imports most of its tech-nology without an attempt to digest it,” he said, adding that the digestion of technology will provide a fertile opportunity for

innovation to speed up tech-nological development of the country.

He called on universities and the industry sector in Ken-ya to emulate the East Asian giants of China, South Korea and Japan who have been able to innovate and eventually produce their own products through this concept.

“I am aware that universi-

ties continue to grapple with the challenge of successful commercialization of their in-novations,” said Dr. Mugiira.

He noted that there is need for concerted efforts to forge collaborations with other insti-tutions that have complemen-tary capacities and capabilities to effect successful commer-cialization of their innovations as a way to address this chal-

lenge.Dr. Mugiira said the coun-

try’s development agenda in-cluding science, technology and innovation is likely to receive a major boost if recommen-dations proposed to increase research funding budget are passed.

The proposals contained in the Education Bill 2012, now in Parliament for discus-sion, propose to increase the national research budget from the current 0.04 percent to two percent of Kenya’s gross domestic product, a figure that will far surpass the United Na-tions recommended target of one percent.

Dr. Mugira said the ex-pected Bill would lead to the establishment of the National Commission for Science and Technology to regulate and set the country’s research agenda.

The Bill, he added, would as well be instrumental in the es-tablishment of the National Re-search Fund that he said would be charged with mobilization and funding of research kitty.

Speaking at the same venue,

JKUAT’s vice chancellor, Prof. Mabel Imbuga noted that the major bottleneck facing the institutions of higher learning is inadequate funding that con-tinues to hold universities back from maximally contributing to the national development agenda.

She said the scenario has forced local researchers to turn to foreign funding which comes with conditionality and unpredictability.

“The Ksh. 52 million budget is scarcely enough to fund the over 50 research projects we are currently conducting”, said Prof. Imbuga, adding that researchers in the University were grappling with the slow pace of commercialization of the numerous research outputs from the institution.

The seventh JKUAT scien-tific conference brought over 140 researchers, industrial-ists, policy makers and donor agencies drawn from over 10 countries from Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia to discus latest research, innovation and developments. n

R E S E A R C H A N D I N N O VAT I O N AT J K U AT

Universities Urged to Become Leaders in Innovation and Product Development

Further, almost all sires that are tested by AI organization are produced using ET or MOET (De Vries et al., 2008). As cows of high genetic merit are identi-fied, they are mated using ET to produce male calves from a number of desirable sires of sons to maximize the availability of bull calves from these matings for selection and entry into AI progeny

testing programs as soon as possible. It is clear that sexed semen will have an impact on the use of ET in both the beef and dairy industries. ET would also enable use of low productive animals as recipients in a herd hence improving the economic benefits of ET and open up new markets for use of many cows in dairy herds as surrogates for both beef and dairy embryos.Production of several closely related, and hence genetically similar, individu-als through ET techniques can make critical contributions to research. For example a project at the International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases (ILRAD) to locate the genes responsible for tolerance of some cat-tle populations to trypanosomiasis required large numbers of closely related crosses of trypanotolerant and trypanosusceptible cattle. Use of ET has made it possible to generate such families thereby facilitating the search for genetic markers of trypanotoler-

ance. Additionally, ET could be useful in studying the extent to which a trait is influenced by the embryo (direct component) or the reproductive tract (maternal component) (Rege, 1996).

ACHIEVEMENTS There are several ET players in Kenya;University of Nairobi – serves as a train-ing and research facility for graduate students. It utilizes sexed semen tech-nology to offer female calves for heifer replacement by farmers. ILRI – has excellent facilities for re-search and also offers training in the highly technical area of in vitro ferti-lizationKARI – national research body, has ET facilities at trypanosomosis research centre, plans to multiply superior cattle breeds (dairy and beef) for use by farmers. So far, there is no proper ET program to meet high demand of superior dairy cows as its uneconomi-cal for farmers to raise breeding bulls. Once operationalised, this facility can be or used by breeders for research as well as extension services. Building on the sahiwal breeding model whereby demand for the breed exceeds supply, ET comes in handy to mass produce sufficient stock. Central artificial insemination services (CAIS) – mandated to control and man-

age animal breeds in the country. They import semen for superior genotypes for breeding purposes in order to improve livestock productivity while also conserving semen for indigenous breedsAgricultural Development Corporation (ADC) – extension organ with farmer training component on all aspects of agriculture. The institution uses ET technology.Commercial dairies eg Limuru – offer ET specifically sexed semen technology to its dairy customers to avoid cost of raising males. The certainty of raising own and superior replacement heifers is a significant boost to the dairy farm-ers. However, many farmers in Kenya in need of this service have no access to it and there is need to expand the service to deserving areas.A large flushing programme was set up in 1992 to export Boran embryos to Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean veterinary team designed a quarantine area and facility on Ol Pejeta Ranch in Laikipia District, central to most Boran breeders. In 1994, Kenya exported Boran embryos to South Africa for the first time; the year 2000 saw a second exportation.Despite the presence of all these players in the country, the technology has not been effectively exploited to offer cost effective products to livestock produc-

ers. Its done in a haphazard and unco-ordinated manner. KARI has planned to multiply priority cattle breeds (Sahiwal, exotic dairy, indigenous orma boran) to start with in order to bridge the gap in collaboration with the ministry of agriculture and livestock.

IMPACTThe impact of ET in Kenya has not been quantified because its use is not widespread, however, once established, the Kenyan livestock farmers can par-ticipate in international trade in genetic products as well as export embryos. For the past five years, Embryo Plus in col-laboration with the Kenya Boran Cat-tle Breeders Society (BCBS) has been collecting embryos from Boran donor cows in Kenya and exporting to South Africa. The country also has produc-tive indigenous Zebu that are tolerant to most of the livestock diseases. These breeds need to be identified, selected and conserved as a genetic resource. Besides, availability of highly productive livestock breeds are required in order to attain the 7% GDP growth rate in the agriculture sector as spelt out in vision 2030. Consequently economic revitali-zation, more employment opportunities to rural communities, improved rural livelihoods, poverty reduction, improved food security will be realized. n

From Page 14Use of Embryo Transfer for Multiplication of Superior Animal Breeds in Kenya


Deputy Director of Research in the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Dr Roy Mugira looking at one of the innovations at JKUAT


Published at Fatuma Flats, Suite No 6, Ground Floor by ScienceAfrica P.O. Box 57458-00200, Nairobi-Kenya, Tel: 020-2053532 Cell: +254 722 843 101

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Tel: 020-2053532, Cell: +254 722 843101 / 721 248761

SCIENCE JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP

ScienceAfrica’s leading writ-er George Achia has been awarded an IDRC/SciDev.

Net Science Journalism Fellow-ship for 2013.

The internship offered with support from Canada’s Interna-tional Development Research Centre (IDRC) and implemented by SciDev.Net allows early-career science journalists to work for six months with the editorial staff of both SciDev.Net’s regional offices and its main office in London.

The fellowship starts in Janu-ary and ends in June 2013.

During the period, George will work for SciDev.Net and make up to four reporting trips to other countries in the Sub-Saha-ran Africa region to produce both news and feature articles.

George is the journalist select-ed from East Africa with another journalist from the Middle East and North Africa region. While congratulating this beneficiary, SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan coor-dinator Ochieng Ogodo said the fellowship gives the journalists opportunity to report from their own country and within the re-gion as well as horn their skills in science journalism. n

ScienceAfrica Journalist Wins Top Fellowship

Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease otherwise known as Corn Lethal Necrosis (CLN) Disease was first

reported in September 2011, in the lower parts of Longisa division of Bomet district. In February 2012, it was noted in Bomet Central division, spreading into neighbor-ing Chepalungu district, Narok North and South districts, and Naivasha.

In April 2012, the disease spread into Sotik, Kainon, Transmara, Rumuruti, Kisii, Biveti, Kericho, Mathira East, Im-enti South and Embu. According to field studies, it was observed that the disease is affecting all maize varieties grown in these regions. Reported yield loss in affected fields ranged from 30-100%.

Solutions:nCarrying out strategic research for

tolerance and resistance

nCapacity building along value chain for disease and pest management

nEstablishing a system for pest and disease forecasting and early warning

nEstablishing a centralized data bank and backup systems

nFormulating and implementing policies on handling of emerging pest and disease epidemics.

Cont. on Page 9

Exclusive: Scientific Insight into New Maize Disease Threatening Kenya’s Food Securityl Loses 30-100 Percent and affects all maize varieties l Caused by a co-infection with Maize Chlorotic Mottle

Viruses (MCMV) and Sugarcane Mosaic Virus (SCMV) or any other cereal viruses

GMO Food Ban: Was Kenya’s Public Health Ministry Misled?

Don’t Miss the Next Issue

Selected Scientific and

Technical Papers from

KARI - Pages 9 to19

SPECIAL ISSUE

EDITORIAL:Next

Government Must Increase Funding and

Elevate KARI’s Status- Page 7

R E S E A R C H U P D AT E

What has clearly come up as shoddy study by French sci-entist Seralini et al. is being

branded as having insufficient scientif-ic intergrity or quality needed for safe-ty assessments. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concludes that the currently available evidence does not impact on the ongoing re-evaluation of glyphosate and does not call for the reopening of the safety evaluations of

maize NK603 and its related stacks.The Seralini paper has caused much

uproar in Kenya where the ministry of public health, without consulting local biotech experts, seems to have unwit-tingly fallen into the complex world of “antibiotech groups” who boast of the ban as a major propaganda breakthrough. Kenya has some of the world’s most credible biotech experts willing to publicly discuss all aspects

of biotechnology including perceived dangers.

Final review of the Séralini et al. (2012a) publication on a two-year rodent feeding study with glyphosate formulations and GM maize NK603 as published online on 19 September 2012 in Food and Chemical Toxicol-ogy. qFull version of the EFSA abstract on Page 2.

European Food Safety Authority Denounces Seralini’s anti-GM Food Study

nFly Maggots that clean wounds and kill drug resistant germs will soon be the norm in the biomedical world and KARI researchers at Trypanosomiasis Research Centre are at par with world’s best.nLarva secretions that is effective against Methicillin Resistant Streptococcus aureus (MSRA), a leading cause of amputations and death for affected patients.Full version of the scientific paper on Page 12

Fly Maggots for the Treatment of Chronic Wounds in Kenya

An effective “Infection and Treat-ment Immunization” against the East Coast Fever spearheaded by Kenya Agricultural Research Insti-tute, Veterinary Research Centre and the International Livestock Research Institute has finally been launched in Kenya after years of un-successful attempts.

Effective East Coast Fever Vaccine

Finally Launched

- Page 2

F A L S E R & D

P L A N T PAT H O L O G Y

George Achia

ScienceAfricaVol. 21 Nov/January 2013

The African leaders and scholars from 29 coun-tries from Africa, Aus-

tralia, Europe, United States of America, India and Africans in the Diaspora meeting in Addis Ababa for the African Technology Policy Studies Network international confer-ence 2012 observed that:n Africa has a comparative

advantage for transition-ing to a low carbon de-velopment pathway that is inclusive, sustainable and resource efficient.

n If supported by endog-enous research and ca-pacity building, some emerging technologies and existing sustainable development practices on the African continent can help to improve pro-ductivity and resource efficiency for inclusive development in Africa.

n Social innovations pro-vide opportunities for en-hancing economic growth and social prosperity through youth employ-ment, entrepreneurship

and value creation.n African Universit ies

stand to benefit from the mainstreaming trans-disciplinary research and teaching to overcome the weak collaboration and coordination that exist between disciplines, universities, industry, the public sector and civil society in Africa.

n African countries are not effectively harnessing the untapped potential of the continent’s bulging youth and women population for development. Based on these observations, they came up with recom-mendations for the Af-rican Union and African governments including:

n Africa needs to lead its own dialogue on low car-bon development and green growth and pro-actively invest in the re-quired capacities to en-sure African ownership of the inevitable transi-tioning processes that are unfolding globally.

n There is a need for a shift towards trans-dis-ciplinary teaching and research approaches to encourage collaboration and networking across disciplines and between universities, the produc-tive sectors and civil soci-ety, with special reference to innovation-driven val-ue addition, employment creation and inclusive development strategies.

n In order to harness the resource potential for productivity improve-ments in Africa, urgent and significant invest-ments is required in STI education and research to build endogenous ca-pacities for appropriate technology development, diffusion, deployment and regulation.

n Harnessing the oppor-tunities for social in-novations will require a favorable policy en-vironment, incentive structures, innovation incubation, training and

mentorship in entrepre-neurship.

n Proactive measures to har-ness the potentials of the youth and women in STI policymaking and imple-mentation are necessary pre-requisites for achiev-ing the SDGs in Africa.

While closing the conference, Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, the chair of the ATPS Board pointed out that African gov-ernments and policy makers in education must emphasize demystification of science.

Through this, noted Prof. Abdulrazak, attitude of sci-ence can become a culture in Africa.

The executive director Prof. Kevin Urama said that Africans should stop agoniz-ing about problems facing the continent, but rather to start organizing the solution.

He noted that technology innovation is the way out for Africa, noting the innovation in telecommunication like Mpesa technology in Kenya which changing millions of lives in the country. q

By George Achia Staff Science Writer

A renowned Ken-yan chemical en-gineer Dr. Moses

Makayoto has been nomi-nated fellow of Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE)-Britain; re-garded as the “ultimate professional career rec-ognition”.

Dr. Makayoto, Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)’s chief research scientist was recently named after the nominating commit-tee approved him as a “Fellow” of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.

He becomes the first Kenyan with a doctorate in chemical engineering to be a Fellow of a prestigious Institution of Chemical Engineers in Britain.

“This is the top and most honour-able achievement that any profes-sional would like to achieve in his lifetime and peers recognition,” he told ScienceAfrica in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dr. Makayoto was overwhelm-ingly recommended by two Interna-tional Fellows of the Institution to be awarded a professional gold member-ship after a vigorous interview.

This means that Dr.Makayoto can

authoritatively com-ment and advise on his areas of competence in-cluding environmental safety, chemical engi-neering and policy de-velopment worldwide.

H i s o v e r t h r e e decades of contribu-tions to science, re-search, private sector, government minis-tries, national research institutions, Kenyan universities and inter-national research insti-tutions was recognized

by Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya, awarding him The Order of Grand Warrior.

As KIRDI’s chief research scien-tist, Dr. Makayoto is responsible for developing research capabilities in-cluding human, methodological, and technological for developing evidence of the validity and utility of research products.

“As the Chief Research Scientist, I have contributed immensely in the establishment of Mini-Tanneries, Honey Processing, Fruit Processing and many other plants in different parts of Kenya.

Mentorship, according to him is his key interest, given that currently

he has several masters and doctorate students under his supervision.

Dr. Makayoto has strong interests in innovation, processes, product development, environmental safety, Policy development, Technology Transfer Systems, Incubation Sys-tems and chemical engineering and biotechnology consultancy for micro, small, medium and large industries in Kenya.

He has also had his hand in the creation and innovation of technolo-gies and products including Mama Safi, a Powder Detergent and Clax, Industrial Detergent both for Uni-lever, East Africa; DuduStop for bio pesticide for control of filth flies, BT.

“M442”for biocontrol of stem borers of maize and sorghum and Mosquito Larvicide – repellents.

He remains on a journey of aca-demic excellence that started from the University of Nairobi when he earned his BSc in 1977 before proceeding to Norway where he earned his doctorate in chemical engineering in 1985.

He has received several research grants awards, supervised and trained several postgraduate students. He has also published and presented many papers globally.

Dr. Makayoto can be summed up as all round man - scientist, engineer, a manager, environmentalist, a men-tor and a family Man. n

Kenyan Scientist Nominated Fellow of IChemE-Britain

AT P S 2 0 1 2 C O N F E R E N C E , A D D I S A B A B A E T H I O P I A

Resolutions and Key Messages for the African Union and the African Governments

- Linked to various innovations in the market

Dr Makayoyo is skilled at communicating science, technology and innovation to the public

Dr Moses Makayoyo one of Africa’s Leading

chemical engineers nominated to IChemE

Volume 21 - World Federation of Science Journalists

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Transcript of Volume 21 - World Federation of Science Journalists