Browse Data and Analysis

In February 2025, Ethiopia’s National Variety Release Committee (NVRC) approved the commercial release of three TELA maize hybrid varieties.

In 2024, the Pakistan government issued revised Biosafety Rules and Regulations, creating a system to request genetically engineered (GE) commodity imports for food, feed, and processing (FFP). As of mid-October 2024, importers had submitted several applications to import GE soybeans for FFP.

The Department of Plant Protection (DPP) stopped imports of genetically engineered (GE) soybeans and canola in late October 2022. DPP said that importers needed an import license from the Ministry of Climate Change (MOCC).

In 2022, after a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) completed the draft, the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) reviewed a policy on regulating imports of genetically engineered (GE) commodities for food, feed, and processing (FFP). The NBC sent the draft FFP policy to relevant Ministries for further review. Cotton remains the only GE crop approved for cultivation.

The Government of Pakistan has put on hold genetically engineered (GE) trials on all crops except cotton since March 2019.

Although biotechnology laws (i.e., Pakistan Biosafety Rules of 2005, Seed Amendment Act 2015 and Plant Breeders Rights Act 2018, etc.) exist in Pakistan, the rules and administrative processes....

Ethiopian farmers and researchers have tried to address food security shortfalls and plant health issues through conventional breeding without success.

In 2018, the Government of Ethiopia (GOE) authorized cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) cotton by granting official approvals for environmental release.

In Pakistan, a developed biotechnology and seed regulatory structure is in place to facilitate the introduction of new technologies in the country.

In May, the Ethiopian Ministry of Environment approved Bt cotton – the country’s first biotech crop – for cultivation.

Pakistan continues to make significant progress towards implementing a full-fledged biotechnology and seed regulatory structure that is expected to facilitate the introduction of new seed....

Ethiopia completed its second round of Bt cotton confined field trials in 2017 and commercialization is expected within the next couple of years.