The EU is among regions that have, for some time, resisted importing and cultivating genetically engineered (GE) crops. But this changed on July 1, when the European Commission approved the importation of GE maize for human and animal consumption. This follows a similar approach with soybeans.

This authorisation is valid for 10 years, but does not include cultivation, and imports will be subject to EU labelling and traceability rules.

After nearly 25 years of opposition to GE crops, this perhaps signals a move to wider acceptance in the EU, though the recent concession may have been forced by shortages and prices rather than European consumers’ support for the well-proven science.

Importantly, some African countries closely followed the EU’s approach to GE crops by prohibiting their import and cultivation. With this new development in the EU, it is plausible some African countries might consider re-evaluating their restrictions, especially for vital staple grains such as maize.

One example is Kenya, which needs to import 700,000t of maize in the 2022/2023 marketing year. Yet Kenyan consumers cannot access abundant GE maize in the world market, let alone use the crop technologies to reduce crop losses.

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