After years of research and field trials, Ethiopia is set to begin the commercial rollout of genetically modified (GM) maize in the Rift Valley, targeting drought-prone and pest-affected regions.
The move follows the approval of pest- and drought-resistant TELA maize varieties by the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC), under a project led by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the former United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Experts from the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) say the GM maize will help smallholder farmers reduce crop losses and reliance on pesticides, while domestic seed production is expected to scale up over time.
Despite regulatory and logistical hurdles, officials view this as a critical step toward food security, with TELA maize becoming Ethiopia’s second commercialized GM crop after Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) cotton.
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