A genetically modified (GM) variety of maize is set to be commercially cultivated in Ethiopia for the first time this year, following government approval of a 10-year permit. The initiative will begin with an initial batch of approximately 80 kilograms of seed supplied by Bayer, the German chemical company.

The approval comes after field trials conducted between 2023 and 2024 in Wondogenet, Melkassa, and Bako. The Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority said the GM maize outperformed traditional varieties.

The decision marks a major policy shift in Ethiopia’s agricultural sector, amid ongoing concerns about the potential health and environmental risks of genetically modified organisms. Government officials and supporters argue that GM crops can boost yields and offer stronger resistance to pests.

However, critics caution that GMOs could have harmful long-term genetic effects on humans and wildlife. They also warn that GM crops can enter the food chain inadvertently if they are naturally cross-pollinated with non-GM varieties.

Ethiopian agricultural authorities say the first shipment of TELA maize seeds will be used this year for on-farm demonstrations across six maize-growing zones. Farmers in the program must buy new seeds each season, as the GM variety cannot be replanted. Critics warn that dependence on these seeds could allow companies to dominate the market, potentially harming smallholder farmers.

South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya have already approved the commercial release of four TELA maize varieties. However, in October 2024, South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal overturned the commercial approval of a GM maize, MON87460, developed by Bayer.