NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- Genetically modified cotton could be commercialized in Kenya as early as March 2019, the head of the country’s National Biosafety Authority (NBA) said on Friday.

The PG Economics, Ltd. released new study highlighting the continued social, environmental and economic benefits of the global adoption of biotechnology in agriculture.

Genetically modified cotton The Government has begun nationwide trials for the production of genetically modified cotton.

With India emerging as a leading cotton producer in the world, and considering the large-scale adoption of Bt cotton cultivation, there is a need to understand the patterns of pesticide use by cotton farmers, especially as environmental, ecological, and health concerns surrounding pesticide use continue to be debated.

Kenya on Thursday sought public comments before embarking on a national performance trials (NPT) of genetically modified cotton (Bt cotton).

Order of the High Court of Delhi in the matter of Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd. And Others Vs Monsanto Technology LLC And Others dated 11/04/2018 regarding Monsanto's appeal for patents on its BT cotton seeds in India. Monsanto claims that the patent is a biotech invention containing the infusion of Bt gene into the cotton genome. The Bt. bacterium eradicates pests afflicting the cotton plant. Monsanto states that the patent does not cover plants per se, but does cover components that can be termed microbiological processes and microorganisms, thus patentable under the Patents Act.

In 2000, farmers in Burkina Faso, Africa’s top cotton grower, were desperate.

A Soil Association report, reveals how genetically modified (GM) cotton grew to almost obliterate all other cotton production in India, and how the promised GM success rapidly turned to failure, with disastrous, even lethal, results for some of the world’s poorest farmers.

Raising doubts about government claims that production of cotton has increased post commercialisation of Bt cotton, a parliamentary panel has asked the union ministry of environment and forest to undertake a comprehensive study to bring out clarity in the matter.

MUMBAI: Genetically modified or Bt cotton is no longer resistant to pink bollworm - a major pest in Mahahrashtra, prompting the state government to write to the Union government to seek its interve

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