African scientists lead the continent’s gene editing research

Research using gene editing technology is being undertaken on the continent largely by African scientists to provide solutions for Africa, according to a panel of scientists and regulatory experts. Their work is drawing upon the efficiency and precision of gene editing to restore staples that African farmers prefer, like banana and sorghum, they said. The goal is to support food security and better incomes for farmers, especially in the face of climate change challenges. The panel of scientists included Dr. Leena Tripathi, director of Eastern Africa for the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture; Prof. Steven Runo, associate professor at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, and Josphat Muchiri, deputy director technical services at Kenya National Biosafety Authority (NBA). They made their observations in a recent Alliance For Science Live webinar, in which they noted that gene editing can improve Kenya’s food security.