Kenyans to pay 170k to Acquire Licence To Grow GMO

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 17 – It will cost Ksh170,000 to obtain a license to grow field trials of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in the new directive by the government. 

The National Biosafety Authority has outlined the proposed new charges that organizations and individuals who grow GMO’s will be compelled to conform to with Consideration of Application for Renewal of contained use Projects of Confined Field Trial (CFT) attracting the sh 170,000 charge.

Early Consultation for Genome Editing Applications will also attract a sh 170,000 charge payable within 30 days if it is for research purposes.

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“In line with the requirements of the law, the Authority is conducting public participation on the proposed fees,” read the notice by NBA in part.

However, early consultations for genome editing applications that are primarily for commercial purposes are set to attract the highest charge capped at sh 850,000 an amount which NBA says is to be paid within 30 days.

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Other charges include that of Consideration of Application for Low Level Presence (LLP) situations – for undeclared GM Events at low level (sh 50,000), Notification request for lower level stacks (in situations where all the single gene events and highest order stack have previously been approved for environmental release and placing into the market in Kenya (250,000) as well as Sampling services (on request) and GMO Detection/ screening which will attract sh  25,000 per sample payable within  7 days.

NBA will also charge sh 5500 for Issuance of GMO-Free Certificates Processing.