Emergence of Bio/Agro-Terrorism in Kenya

Abstract

The growing use of biological toxins, biotechnology and bio-engineering may have, by commensurate measure, contributed to bio-terrorism under what is called agro/bio-terrorism. Agro-products finally end up on the tables as food or on the shelves as medicine, and thus any form of their contamination by agro-terrorism will be a huge blow to food, pharmaceutical and medical sectors. This study explores emergence of agro/bio-terrorism in Kenya. Growing threats of terrorism lead the Government to legislate the Anti-terrorism Act of 2012. The act is expected to guard against the occurrence of agro-terrorism that can disrupt the food supply system of Kenyan population through "malicious use of plant or animal pathogens that can cause devastating diseases in the agricultural sector. In the past years, Kenya has suffered a number of epidemic plant and animal disease attacks that mimic agro-terrorism. These include Coffee Berry Disease of 1980s, Rift Valley Fever, Necrotic Lethal Maize Mosaic Virus among others. The methods known for execution of agro-terrorism include dissemination of pathogens in the fields by business competitors, movement of plant and animal material during strives and through food and seed imports. The current advances in genetic engineering of various microorganisms have produced very dangerous microorganisms that are classified among the group of weapons of mass destruction. The Government of Kenya has put in place strong regulatory bodies such as Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, Kenya Medical Research Institute and Directorate of Veterinary services that can advise against dangers of agro-terrorism. However, these agencies will still need to be empowered to increase their responsiveness to any form of danger from agro-terrorism.