Ethiopia approves GM cotton cultivation

14 Jun '18

1 min read

The ministry of environment, forest and climate change, Government of Ethiopia, has approved the cultivation of Genetically Modified (GM) cotton in the country. The ministry’s approval for “environmental release” or growing biotechnologically engineered cotton for commercial purposes follows a request made by the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research.

The ministry has given its nod on the basis of the analysis made by experts and technical team consisting of members from various organisations that have assessed the final report submitted by the agricultural institute.

The analysis confirmed that GM cotton, also known as Bt cotton, is safe for environment, ecosystem and human health, Assefa Gudina, Biosafety Affairs Directorate director with the ministry, told a leading Ethiopian daily.

However, Bt cotton seeds would need to be endorsed by the National Seed Approval Committee before they can be used for commercial cultivation on both small- and large-scale farms.

Earlier this month, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) of Kenya supported growing of GM cotton in the country stating that it could result in a three-fold increase in cotton production and create up to 600,000 jobs in the country. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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