A revolution is about to hit Africa, transforming the way it sustains itself as millions of families are pushed closer to starvation by rapid population growth, degrading land and climate change.
After a 20-year struggle during which African critics and advocates have repeatedly clashed in court and sometimes on the streets, genetically-modified (GM) food crops are now poised to sweep across the continent.
At the forefront of this coming surge is Kenya. A giant of East Africa, the nation may hold the key to unlocking long-standing resistance to GM crops and accelerating adoption of the technology well beyond its borders.
Last month, its new government quietly lifted a ban on GM food crops, despite significant opposition.
That decision has since been suspended following a lawsuit lodged by a group representing small holder farmers but the court’s stay is not expected to last.
A motive for the sudden embrace of GM technology by Kenya’s leaders is clear: the worst drought in four decades has hit East Africa, ravaging crops and produce.
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