The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) has commended COMESA Member States for embracing biotechnology and implementing measures that are contributing to food security in the region.
ACTESA Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Mukuka recently revealed that several COMESA Member States are at an advanced stage in using biotechnology to improve the food situation in their respective countries.
He named the COMESA countries that have embraced and commercialized agricultural biotech crops and are reaping significant economic, environmental and food security benefits as Kenya, Malawi, Eswatini, Ethiopia and Sudan. Rwanda, Uganda and Egypt are advancing research in Biotechnology, while countries like Zambia are reviewing and refining their regulatory frameworks to enable safe trade and commercial cultivation.
He was speaking during the 6th Edition of the Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication Symposium (ABBC 2025), held in Lusaka, Zambia, on 26 – 28 August 2025.
Held under the theme “The War on Science, how can we overcome the burden of misinformation and disinformation?” the Symposium provided a platform for sharing insights and highlighting the crucial role of Biotechnology in transforming agriculture, bolstering resilience to climate change, and enhancing regional trade in safe, high-quality agricultural products.
The symposium opened with a keynote by the ACTESA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. John Mukuka, who highlighted the crucial role of Biotechnology in transforming agriculture, bolstering resilience to climate change, and enhancing regional trade in safe, high-quality agricultural products.
Zambia’s Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Reuben Mtolo Phiri addressed the Symposium and explained that African continues to face a convergence of food insecurity, disease burden, and environmental challenges, creating a complex crisis that threatens health and development.
The spread of misinformation on science has emerged as a significant concern for both public health and the entire innovative space. Misinformation alongside disinformation has undermined trust, delayed progress, and in some cases cost lives,” he stated.
Africenter Board Chair Dr. Robert Karanja highlighted that misinformation and disinformation in science and technology undermine innovations that have the potential to address hunger and poverty.
ASAA Afri-Centre Executive Director Dr Margret Kerembu remarked that the challenge of disinformation threatens the ability to strengthen food systems, improve health, and build climate resilience.
The ABBC provides an Africa-based and African-led platform for stakeholders to actively exchange experiences and address pressing communication issues key to propelling biosciences’ innovations in the continent and globally.
The Symposium was organised by ISAA AfricCentre in collaboration with National Biosafety Authority, (NBA-Zambia), with participants drawn from Botswana, Cameroon, Canada, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Zimbabwe and Zambia.