Ethiopia approves commercial release of TELA GM maize
The government has authorized a 10-year permit for environmental release, starting with a trial batch of approximately 80 kilograms of seed from Bayer.
ETHIOPIA – Ethiopia is set to commercialize genetically modified (GM) maize this year, marking its first transition toward a genetically engineered food crop for direct consumption.
The move follows regulatory approval of TELA maize, a variety engineered to withstand chronic drought and destructive pests, notably the fall armyworm.
According to documentation from the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority and the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, the government has issued a 10-year environmental release permit.
The process begins with a trial batch of approximately 80 kilograms of seed supplied by Bayer. The consignment, totaling about 181,000 seeds, will be deployed in on-farm demonstrations across six major maize-growing agro-ecological zones this season.
Farmers will be required to purchase fresh seed each cycle, reflecting the proprietary nature of the technology.
The approval reflects mounting economic pressure. Research by the International Food Policy Research Institute indicates that delaying the technology’s rollout by five years could cost Ethiopia more than USD 700 million in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).
In contrast, full adoption could deliver long-term economic gains estimated at USD 2.29 billion (PPP).
Maize ranks as Ethiopia’s second most important staple after teff and underpins the livelihoods of nearly 10 million households.
Yield losses from recurrent drought and the fall armyworm, first reported in Ethiopia in 2017, have placed sustained pressure on domestic grain supplies and food prices.
Field performance
TELA maize is developed under a public-private partnership coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation.
The approved hybrids contain two stacked traits: MON 87460 for drought tolerance and MON 89034, which produces Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins Cry1A.105 and Cry2Ab2. These proteins provide broad-spectrum protection against stem borers and fall armyworm.
Confined field trials conducted between 2023 and 2024 in Wondogenet, Melkassa, and Bako showed strong agronomic performance.
The Bt hybrids yielded an average of 24.7 quintals per hectare more than conventional checks, a gain considered material in a country where average smallholder productivity remains constrained by climate variability and pest pressure.
Beyond yield gains, the technology is expected to reduce mycotoxin contamination linked to insect damage and lower expenditure on synthetic pesticides, a cost burden that currently runs into millions of dollars annually.
Nigeria, which commercially released four TELA hybrids in early 2024, reported yield advantages of up to 88 percent over conventional varieties, with participating farmers recording revenue increases of 137 percent due to higher yields and reduced insecticide use.
South Africa, an early adopter of GM maize, has also documented sustained productivity gains, although researchers emphasize the importance of insect resistance management through refuge planting.
Kenya has similarly granted commercial approval following successful trials, signaling regional momentum behind biotech maize adoption.
Regulatory landscape
The Biosafety Clearing-House confirms that genetic materials are supplied under strict stewardship protocols to prevent commingling with non-GM crops and to manage insect resistance.
The EPA has mandated post-release monitoring to assess any ecological impact. International risk assessments, including those by the European Food Safety Authority, indicate that horizontal gene transfer risks are negligible.
Ethiopia’s earlier biotech milestone was Bt cotton commercialization in 2018. With maize now approved, additional projects remain in development, including bacterial wilt-resistant enset, genome-edited semi-dwarf teff, late blight-resistant potatoes, and striga-resistant sorghum, though funding constraints have slowed progress.
A report by the United States Department of Agriculture projects that GM maize commercialization will particularly benefit lower-income households by increasing output, moderating prices, and strengthening farm incomes.
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