Mision, Vision and Core Values

INTRODUCTION
The National Biosafety Authority (NBA) is a state corporation in Kenya mandated to ensure safety of human and animal health and provide adequate protection of the environment from harmful effects that may result from genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The Authority was established by the Biosafety Act, 2009 to regulate all activities involving GMOs in food, feed, research, industry, trade and environmental release and it fulfils its mandate by ensuring and assuring safe development, transfer, handling and use of GMOs.

NBA has made great strides in establishing strong biosafety framework in Kenya by developing and publishing Biosafety Regulations. These regulations laid a clear procedure on handling GMOs whether plants, animals or microorganisms.

NBA is the National Focal Point for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and is mandated to implement the provisions of the Cartagena Protocol on all biosafety matters pertaining to GMOs.

OUR VISION
A World-class Biosafety Agency.

OUR MISSION
To ensure and assure safe development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms.

OUR MANDATE
The Mandate for which the Authority is established is to exercise general supervision and control over the transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms with a view to ensuring -

(a)  safety of human and animal health;

(b)  provision of an adequate level of protection of the environment.

OUR CORE VALUES
In pursuit of our vision and mission, we shall be guided by the following fundamental core values:

•    Integrity
•    Professionalism
•    Transparency
•    Accountability

OUR CORE FUNCTIONS
The Authority is mandated to:
Consider and determine applications for approval for the development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms, and related activities in accordance with the provisions of the Biosafety Act;
Co-ordinate, monitor and assess activities relating to the safe development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms in order to ensure that such activities do not have adverse effect on human health and the environment;
Co-ordinate research and surveys in matters relating to the safe development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms, and to collect, collate and disseminate information about the findings of such research, investigation or survey;
Identify national requirements for manpower development and capacity building in biosafety;
Advise the Government on legislative and other measures relating to the safe development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms;
Promote awareness and education among the general public in matters relating to biosafety; and
Establish and maintain a biosafety clearing house (BCH) to serve as a means through which information is made available to facilitate exchange of scientific,technical, environmental and legal information on, and experience with, living modified organisms;
Perform any other function which is incidental to the performance of any of the foregoing functions.