b'A look at seed industry developments around the globe.Israeli researchers haveSTATUS ISRAEL executive director of Kenya- announcement, neither the Israeli researchers have devel- based African AgriculturalScottish or Welsh Parliaments developed a better drought- oped a new variety of tomatoTechnology Foundationhave granted legislative resistance tomato to helpthat is more resistant to(AATF), one of the organiza- consent to the bill, both have drought conditions and couldtions propagating the deploy- indicated they do not plan to with climate change, thehelp farmers cope with thement of GM technology inchange regulation of GE tech-UK approves the precisiondestructive impact of climateAfrica. nologies for food and feed. breeding bill and Kenyachange. An in-depth geneticThe Scottish Government analysis led by the Hebrewsaid it would block this Bill looks to scale up GM cropUniversity of Jerusalems ShaiSTATUS NIGERIA in Scotland. The Northern production.Torgeman and Professor DaniFarmers in Nigeria have beenIreland Assembly was sus-Zamir identified interactionsurged to stop using grainspended when the bill was between two areas of theas seeds in order to increasereleased.tomatos genome that lead toharvests. Speaking in KadunaThis bill will apply to plants increased yield and resistanceduring a meeting with farm- and vertebrate animals, with to dry conditions. ers, Brighton Karume, man- the exclusion of humans, that The resulting new tomatoaging director of ECOBasicare precision bred.variety, which has yet toSeeds Company Limited, saidThis legislation is significant be named, can cope withthe country would be foodfor plant breeders in England extreme weather condi- secure if smallholders usedas it will enable and support tions. The studys findingscertified hybrid seeds everygenetic innovation rather than were published in the peer- planting season. make the guidelines stricter reviewed Proceedings of theKarume called for astates BSPB (British Society of National Academy of Sciencesnational drive to educatePlant Breeders).of the United States offarmers on the differencesFor plant breeders, the America (PNAS) journal. between seeds and grains.most significant of these To achieve this, scientistsGrains are meant to be usedwill be the Food Standards crossbred two species offor food, so they are notAgencys plans for a separate tomatoesa wild variety thattreated and have low ger- approval process for food and comes all the way from themination rate. On the otherfeed marketing. The legislation deserts of western Peru with ahand, seeds are not meantprovides more appropriate common commercial cultivarto be eaten because they areregulation of precision breed-that is widely available. treated to protect them froming techniques compared to Source: The Media Line diseases and pest attacks andcurrent GMO legislation which are meant to be planted.will bring the UK more in line Source: AATF with other countries already STATUS KENYA using enabling regulations.African scientists say they areGarlich von Essen, sec-scaling up research on geneti- STATUS UK retary general of Euroseeds cally modified (GM) cropsThe UKs precision breed- stated: The UKs approval of such as maize and cassava toing bill Genetic Technologythe bill on precision breeding increase food security on the(Precision Breeding) Bill 2022- is a welcome development continent as climate change23enabling plant breedingthat reflects the countrys places increased stress onwhile facing hurdles such ascommitment to science-based yields.climate change, food securitypolicymaking and innovation. We are advocating forand sustainable farminghasThe bill helps the UK be in GMOs becausetheir safetybeen approved by Parliament.line with more countries that is no longer in doubt, andThis legislation has beenare enabling genetic editing other continents are alreadyupdated for the first time intechnology and helps them benefiting from its overmore than two decades, andstay competitive. SWtwo decades of existence,many are applauding the bill.said Canisius Kanangire,At the time of the 88/ SEEDWORLD.COMINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2023'