The government has unveiled the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
The Strategic plan will be achieved through across eight Key Result Areas (KRAs) objectives supported by targeted strategies to guide its efforts over the next five years to achieve the best and anticipated results.
Speaking during the launch in Nairobi, Principal Secretary, State Department for Agriculture, Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh said the plan is a firm reflection of the government’s commitment to safeguarding human and animal health, protecting the environment, and fostering responsible innovation in modern biotechnology.
The PS, whose speech was read by Agriculture Engineering Secretary Eng. Laban Kiplagat, noted that recognizing the application of modern biotechnology cuts across various sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, industry, environment, medicine, wildlife, fisheries, and forestry, among others.
Dr. Ronoh further said that the NBA placement in the ministry has given fresh impetus to the application of modern biotechnology to enhance agricultural productivity in contributing to food and nutrition security and is thus poised to make significant strides in modern technology and innovations.
“We are positioned at a vantage point of facilitating the national ambition of Kenya becoming a key participant in the global biotechnology enterprise, as envisioned in the National Biotechnology Development Policy of 2006”, the PS added.
He added that the 4 biosafety regulation roles of the NBA fits well with the government agenda, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BeTA) focusing on agricultural transformation and inclusive growth, transforming the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) economy.
NBA Board of Directors Chairperson Prof. Jenesio Kinyamario said that the implementation of the plan will require about Ksh1.94 billion and called upon the government to support the authority with available resources even as they also step up collection of own revenue.
He noted that the Authority has made notable progress and now has land for the construction of NBA Headquarters that will also host a Regional Reference Molecular Laboratory, established a GMO Testing Laboratory, and approval the commercialization of Bt cotton which is now being planted in about 20 counties across the Country, with positive impacts to the communities.
“We have accelerated the decentralization of our services to regions such as Mombasa, Busia, Namanga, Malaba, Lunga Lunga, and Taita Taveta, and we look forward to opening six more border offices in this period of the Strategic Plan”, Prof. Kinyamario said.
NBA Ag. CEO Mr. Nehemiah Ngetich said the new strategic plan signifies an assertion in providing quality service delivery and commitment to serve with integrity, professionalism, customer focus, inclusiveness, and sustainability.
He explained that the Authority is guided by the provisions of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the Biotechnology Policy, the Biosafety Act and a set of Biosafety Regulations.
“NBA assumes a pivotal role in exercising general supervision and control over the transfer, handling, and use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to ensure the safety of human and animal health as well as an adequate level of protection of the environment.
The eight KRAs in the strategic plan are public awareness and education on biosafety; dynamic laws and institutional policies on biosafety; biosafety assessments; compliance and enforcement; and biosafety information management.
Others are international partnerships and collaborative engagement in the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, infrastructural and operational efficiency, and human resource management.
By Wangari Ndirangu
