March 6, 2003

The Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) continue to intensify research activities focusing on Insect Resistant Maize (IRMA).

Africa with its continued food deficiency and dependency to present a special challenge to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the goals is Laboratory trials at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) have. The project's goal is to increase corn production and food security for African farmers and to develop corn that offers resistance to destructive insects.

It aims to develop and deploy corn varieties resistant to the stem borer. CIMMYT is also collaborating with with KARI in the development of improved locally adapted strains of corn with tolerance to drought and low nitrogen. These projects target farmers who rely on corn for their upkeep and who are badly affected by changes in weather conditions. Dr. Romano Kiome, Director of KARI, says that 17 corn genes identified worldwide are currently undergoing trials for their ability to confer insect resistance in corn plants.

KARI has conducted tests on identified genetically modified (GM) plants for efficacy against insects with some positive results. The research work involved screening local germplasm from KARI and  imported germplasm from CIMMYT for resistance to stem borers under artificial and natural infestation. The objective was to identify superior germplasm as well as germplasm for crossing with local corn varieties to confer insect resistance to them.

According to Dr. Kiome said that it could take three to six years before the GM corn hits the market. Once approved, the crop will undergo trials in green houses, followed by on-station and on-farm settings. Kenya's Minister for agriculture, Dr. Bonaya Godana recently told researchers that there is need identify sources of resistance to stem borers and incorporate them into maize varieties adapted to the region's agro-ecological zones.