Browse Data and Analysis

Tunisia is continuing to postpone non-urgent matters in front of major political and economic reforms. As a result, Tunisia’s biosafety framework, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold with no timeframe for a review and parliamentary vote.

FAS Accra observes Ghana making appreciable advancements in the field of plant biotechnology (biotech). The country is expanding its agricultural biotech crops developmental and production capabilities.

Ghana continues to demonstrate its conviction that proven science-based advanced technologies remain viable options in the global efforts to achieve food security in the face of various production constraints like climate change.

Ghana’s National Biosafety Authority (NBA) on Friday September 15, 2023, approved the Bt cowpea event 245F (Cry2Ab) for environmental release.

Tunisia is facing decisions on major political and economic reforms and is continuing to postpone non-urgent matters.

The impacts of climate change are beginning to manifest on the entire globe and particularly on developing countries like Ghana. The country is vulnerable to rising sea levels, droughts, increasing temperatures and erratic rainfall which adversely impacts infrastructure, hydropower production, food security and coastal and agricultural livelihoods.

Ghana’s National Biosafety Authority has eventually given the green light for the environmental release and placement on the market of the pod borer resistant (PBR) or Bt. Cowpea.

Tunisia postponed non-urgent issues throughout 2023 as major political reforms, including a freeze on parliament and a constitutional referendum took precedent. As a result, Tunisia’s biosafety framework, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold with no timeframe for a review and parliamentary vote.

Ghana's National Biosafety Authority approved the release of the GE crop BT Cowpea into the environment and market, marking the first GE crop to be approved for use in Ghana. The approval lasts for ten years and is renewable.

Though momentum towards environmental release of the Bt cowpea seems to have slowed down, approval remains inevitable. Dossier on Nitrogen Use Efficient (NUE) rice is ready for submission.

Tunisia postponed non-urgent reforms throughout 2021 due to an unstable political environment and the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there is no timeframe for Parliament to review and vote on Tunisia’s biosafety framework, and so the policy, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold.

Submission of the application for environmental release of Ghana’s first genetically engineered (GE) product, Bt cowpea, to the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) for approval is still pending...