b'biosafety regulations that parlia- counterpartswithout the use of pesticides. of high-quality vegetable seeds ment recently adopted opera- As a result of the pest protection providedfor the Nepalese market with tionalize the National Biosafetyby the Bt gene, the GM maize outperformedtraits local farmers find desir-Act 2011the parent law thatconventional varieties three-fold per hectare,able. allows for the introduction ofaccording to the post-harvest evaluation of TELACN Seeds is a U.K. seed GMO foods into the country. project demonstration plots in east Kenya andbreeder specialising in the pro-The newly approved legisla- the Rift Valley. TELA maize also provides droughtduction of baby leaf salad and tion outlines how the Nationaltolerance. However, these demonstrations show- herbs. CN Seeds and the John Biosafety Authority (NBA)cased the effects of the Bt trait. Innes Centre have been collabo-established under the parent actThe results are appealing, James Karanja, therating for several years with the will work to ensure safety ofKenya TELA maize project investigator, says. Inaim of developing salad crops GM foods.Kiboko, for instance, we have seen Bt maize yield- resistant to downy mildew for It also lays out the pro- ing 10 tons per hectare, as compared to non-Btthe U.K. market. With the devel-cesses for applying to introduceyielding between 3 and 4 tons [per hectare]. opment of disease-free hybrids GMOs into the country, how tonow well underway, the team obtain permits for import andNEPAL wanted to use their knowledge export of GMOs, how monitor- AGRICULTURAL instability is a problem in Nepal,to support and advise SS Seeds ing and enforcement of GMOsin part because local farmers lack access to highin Nepal.should be done and how publicquality vegetable seeds. In turn this contributesIn the future, SS Seeds plans education on GMOs should beto malnutrition and currently half of all childrento develop hybrid seed for veg-conducted. in Nepal are classed as underweight. Previously,etable brassicas, such as broc-Nepalese seed companies have brought in allcoli, cabbage and cauliflower. KENYA their seed from other countries which means itInteractions between CN Seeds DEMONSTRATION PLOTS in Kenyahas not been bred for the Nepalese environment and John Innes Centre scien-show that genetically modifiedSS Seeds is the first vegetable breeding com- tists will help them to achieve (GM) maize varieties are morepany in Nepal and first started producing hybridreliable disease-free hybrids of effective in controlling insecttomato seed in 2017 before moving on to cucum- these crops. Issues Ink - 7.125 x 4.75attacks than their conventionalbers. Ultimately their goal is to produce a range Advancing WomenIn AgricultureConferenceJoin us to get informed, be inspired and get growing! Tamara Carter Co-founder, Carter Cattle Company Ltd. Lacadena, SKMarch 23 & 24, 2020 Register now. Network and learn from women Hyatt Regency Downtown,passionate about agriculture from across Canada.Calgary, Alberta AdvancingWomenConference.caJANUARY 2020 GERMINATION.CA 53'