ISAAA AfriCenter launched the ISAAA Brief 51: 20th Anniversary (1996 to 2015) of the Global Commercialization of Biotech Crops and Biotech Crop Highlights in 2015 at the 82nd event of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology on June 3, 2016. The launch was attended by 60 stakeholders, including women scientists from public and private research institutions, and youth leaders from the East African Youth Assembly.

Honorable Jennifer Murogocho, a farmer and Member of the Meru County Assembly was the guest of honor at the meeting. Sharing from the experience gained through visiting countries that have grown GM crops, Hon. Murogocho commended agricultural biotechnology as a tool that would make a difference for Kenyan farmers. She encouraged the youth to choose agriculture as it could be a means out of unemployment.

"I was happy to meet South African young farmers who grow GM crops and are proud to be farmers because they have GM maize and cotton, which gives them good returns," said Hon. Murogosho.

The official launch was followed by discussions in a "Table for Twenty" model, where three groups discussed about the potential of GM crops for the country as well as the opportunity cost of not adopting.

For more information, contact mkarembu@isaaa.org.