Reluctance Surrounding Genome Editing Grounds Biotech Research Ambitions

AU report indicates MIDROC, Luna Group among private firms to express interest in gene editing

Dalliance in the approval of gene editing projects is delaying research and arresting desperately needed improvements in agricultural productivity, say experts at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR).

Ethiopia adopted a guideline on the regulation of genome-edited products nearly six months ago, permitting research and active gene editing for the first time in the country’s history, adding to legislation that opened the door to genetically modified organisms a decade ago.

Research institutions and investors have been awaiting approval to embark on gene editing projects, but it has yet to transpire.

“Following the ratification of the guideline, specific approval letters have to be issued by the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). We have been awaiting approval letters from the Authority to embark on a number of gene editing projects that are very crucial for Ethiopia’s agriculture. But the Authority is taking time for some unknown reason,” said one EIAR expert who spoke to The Reporter on condition of anonymity.

The EPA is the authority charged with regulating biosafety and genome editing. Its tasks include granting permits, conducting risk assessments, and overseeing compliance. On the other hand, the Bio and Emerging Technology Institute (BETin) supports policy, coordination, and public communication.

A National Biosafety Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from various ministries, the Customs Commission, universities, and research centers (all appointed by the Prime Minister) is also involved in regulation.

EIAR and universities play central roles in R&D and capacity building, while the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) is relevant for safety assessments.

A director at EIAR confirmed the wait for approval, and noted that Ethiopia is signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Cartagena Protocol, which regulate GMO-related activity worldwide.

“So far, we have been working on genetic engineering, because Ethiopia’s laws allow that. A guideline that allows gene editing has been introduced, but the guideline is not enough. Approval and go-ahead is required to start activity. We are awaiting it from the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority. We will also have a new facility for gene editing once it is approved,” said another director at EIAR.

One gene editing project involving teff has already yielded results, but cannot be implemented on a larger scale for lack of approval from more senior authorities.

The director explained the thinking behind the gene editing project.

“When teff bears more seeds, the plant gets heavy and its stem can no longer support it. Teff is thin and long, meaning it can fall over even during light wind. Hence, a short but strong-statured variety of teff is important. Using gene editing, the gene that gives teff its height was removed, and a field test is being finalized in Bishoftu,” he told The Reporter.

A recent report from the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) highlighted Ethiopia’s nascent venture into gene editing.

“Genome editing in Ethiopia is moving from policy design to early implementation. Momentum increased in 2023-2024 with the acceleration of teff Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) collaborations, supported by external regulatory experiences that clarified non-transgenic pathways and informed Ethiopia’s domestic approach. Culminating in 2025, Ethiopia officially published its Guideline on the Regulation of Genome-Edited Products, which is now being applied in dossier scoping and preparing the ground for the country’s first confined field trials of gene-edited crops,” reads the report.

The guideline introduces a risk-proportionate, case-by-case pathway for evaluating gene-edited organisms distinct from transgenic GMOs, according to the AU agency.

The report details that a number of private companies have expressed interest in investing in genome editing. The list includes MIDROC Investment Group, Luna Group (owner of the Fresh Corner grocery chain), Corteva Agriscience (a US-based agri-tech giant), and BASF (Germany).

These companies want to partner with EIAR to invest and commercialize gene-edited biotech seed varieties and supply them to farmers. However, absence of gene edited products so far remains a challenge, states the report.

Funding for genome editing projects is also another challenge, according to the AU document.

It details that Ethiopia has three ongoing gene editing projects involving teff, Ethiopian mustard, and sorghum. These are being funded by SIDA, Corteva, Feed the Future, and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

Enset, cotton, and coffee are also included in plans for future gene editing projects, according to the report.

A ‘Bioeconomy Strategy’ approved by the Bio and Emerging Technology Research Institute (BETin) and the Ministry of Innovation and Technology aims to commercialize at least one genome-edited plant variety every year starting from 2028.

Sources close to the issue claim the government is undertaking gene-editing projects without official approval to avoid opposition related to GMOs and gene editing, particularly from conservative stakeholders.

Officials of the EPA did not respond to The Reporter’s requests for comment.