Kenya has lost an estimated KSh 20.4 billion over the past five years due to delays in adopting advanced maize, cotton, and potato varieties, according to a new study. The report attributes the losses to missed opportunities in boosting food security, farmer incomes, and environmental sustainability—issues further worsened by persistent misinformation surrounding agricultural biotechnology.
The report, titled The Cost of Delay, was conducted in collaboration with the Breakthrough Institute, the Alliance for Science, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), and the International Potato Center (CIP). It projects that these three advanced crop varieties could inject up to KSh 60.7 billion into Kenya’s economy over the next three decades if adopted without further delays.
Lead author Dr. Willy Daniel Kyalo noted that advanced crop varieties would significantly increase yields and farmer profits while reducing pesticide use and greenhouse gas emissions. “Embracing these technologies would generate substantial economic and environmental benefits. Higher productivity also helps protect forests and biodiversity by reducing the need for new farmland,” he said.
The report highlights that advanced maize varieties, developed by Kenyan scientists, can naturally resist destructive pests such as stem borer and fall armyworm, reducing the risk of aflatoxin contamination linked to liver cancer. Similarly, advanced cotton resists bollworm attacks, while disease-resistant potato varieties could curb late blight, a leading cause of crop losses.
According to the study, five years of delay in adopting advanced maize alone cost Kenyan farmers and consumers KSh 8.7 billion—equivalent to 194,000 tonnes of lost maize yield, or about a quarter of the country’s 2022 maize imports. For cotton, farmers missed out on producing an extra 650 tonnes, equivalent to 12 percent of Kenya’s 2022 cotton imports.
Prof. Joel W. Ochieng, Secretary General of the Kenya University Biotechnology Consortium (KUBICO), warned that misinformation continues to undermine science-based agricultural progress. “News outlets, social media, and some political leaders are spreading untrue and irresponsible claims about advanced crop varieties. These crops are safe and essential for our food security,” he said.
Vitumbiko Chinoko, AATF’s Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology manager, said the findings underscore the urgency of adopting modern farming innovations. “Advanced crop varieties offer a safe, effective, and affordable alternative to traditional pesticides. They are designed to empower smallholder farmers, who make up 70 percent of maize growers and 98 percent of potato farmers,” he noted.
Kenya commercialised Bt cotton in 2020, while three advanced Bt maize varieties await Cabinet approval. The advanced potato variety, which resists late blight disease, is in its final field trials.
Dr. Emma Kovak of the Breakthrough Institute urged policymakers to fast-track commercialisation and support local seed production. “Kenya must prioritise agricultural research and development to adapt these technologies locally and give farmers more options,” she said.
The report concludes that while advanced crop varieties are not a silver bullet, they remain a crucial part of Kenya’s broader agricultural solution—alongside good agronomic practices, better market access, and supportive government policies.
“These findings are an urgent call to action for Kenya and other African nations,” Chinoko added. “The science is clear, the benefits are proven, and the cost of delay is too high to ignore.”
