The Spirit of Asilomar Conference: Reflections of a Next-Gen Leader from an African Perspective
By Willy Kibet As a budding, young scientist, I was excited to attend The Spirit of Asilomar and Future of Biotechnology Summit in Pacific Grove, California from 23rd – 26th February, 2025. The convening of approximately 300 attendees enabled me to meet and network with diverse voices and actors in biotechnology comprising academics, journalists, legal […]
The ABBC Journey: Taking Stock of Last Decade, Planning Ahead
By Peter Theuri In the first of a series of webinars organized as part of a build-up to the 2025 edition of the Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication (ABBC) Symposium, tens of stakeholders, on March 20, deliberated on the progress of the last 10 years of the ABBC, and highlighted some of the key areas to […]
Tapping into the Potential of Young African Scientists to combat Misinformation on Agricultural Innovations
The growing adoption of agricultural biotechnology in Africa, like the early days of technologies such as cell phones, vaccines, and aeroplanes, has faced its share of controversies and challenges as it becomes more widely integrated. These challenges often include public skepticism, misinformation, regulatory hurdles, and ethical concerns, which are common during the broader adoption and […]
Synthetic biology offers huge prospects for Kenya
The early 21st century has witnessed Africa adopt agricultural technology enormously. From mechanization to genetic modification. In fact, more than 70 countries have adopted and commercialized genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Genome editing and synthetic biology are other exciting bioscience innovations that offer viable solutions to contemporary challenges in agriculture, human health and environmental sustainability especially […]
Agri-Biotech: A Potential Economic Enabler for Kenya
Have you ever pondered how we can make our agriculture industry into a job-creating powerhouse? Well, modern agricultural biotechnology has the power to completely transform Kenya’s economy and usher in a time in the future when our wallets will be as full as our tummies! Modern agricultural biotechnology involves application of scientific techniques such as […]
Meet Young Biotech Scientists Championing for Biodiversity Conservation in Kenya
After a fast-paced two-day early career scientists’ workshop at the University of Embu, The Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Kenya (OFAB-Kenya) and partners organized a sensitization forum and study visit to a Bt cotton farm in Kirinyaga, central Kenya. A beloved crop in the 90s, cotton’s lucrativeness waned with failing produce and weakening markets, until Bt cotton arrived […]
Kenyan Stakeholders determined to stem the Spread of Misinformation about Biotech
To nip the spread of misinformation in the bud, ISAAA AfriCenter held two significant sensitization events on 28th and 29th May 2024. The two, a Research Officers’ Biosafety Misinformation Sensing short course and OFAB-Kenya Luncheon, were held in Naivasha, Rift Valley, during the 12th Annual Biosafety Conference. These two brought together stakeholders from various sectors […]
Zambian Biotech Experts Chart the Course for Genome Editing in the Country
Misinformation and poor public perceptions about modern biotechnology could derail Africa’s bid to tap into the potential of genome editing to increase agricultural productivity in the face of climate change. This emerged during a biotechnology workshop for Zambian biotech scientists and regulators co-organized by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the University of California-Davis, […]