S2,EP22: Kenya's GMO cotton, Cameroon fish farmers, Refugees in Kenya

This week, Africa Calling podcast brings you audio-rich stories and voices from the African continent with our African correspondents. In Bamenda, people are still dealing with the Anglophone crisis, but some enterprising entrepreneurs are ensuring there's fresh fish. In Kenya farmers embrace GMO cotton seeds, but some experts warn about the negative impact. Elsewhere in Kenya, refugees are struggling with red tape and a long wait.

For this week’s podcast, Cameroon correspondent Sylvie Yukfu talks to entrepreneurs Ayere Levis, an electrical  engineer, and environmentalist Amah Wilson, founder of the Organisation known as Kizisky Biomass, Energy and Engineering Services, who both raise fish as a side hustle. 

Ernest Mukrongho and Nuibougho Isidore Tih, both fish sellers, spoke to Yukfu about fish in the Bamenda area, as well as Stella Selamo, a grill chef. Director of Nkwen/Bambui Fish pond, Grace Fokem, talks about her business, too.

From Kenya, reporter Carole Gachacha Mucheru sits down with legal affairs, human rights monitoring and response advisor Damaris Bonareri at the Kenya Human Rights Commission, who explains the process to be followed to be declared a refugee as opposed to the process behind being declared an asylum-seeker. She also spoke to Kakuma refugee camp resident and refugee Benin Manyang.

Kenya correspondent Victor Moturi interviews cotton farmers Joseph Thika, Evans Ngure, and Johnson Mwai.  Daniel Magondu, a lead BT cotton farmer and a chairman of Society for biotechnology farming of Kenya speaks of the positives of GMO cotton, while Kenya Organic Agriculture Network CEO Eustace Kiarie points out the numerous negatives of using GMO crops, with examples from Africa and around the world.

Listen to Kenya's multi-talented Bensoulmusic as selected by Alison Hird.

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Africa Calling is produced by Radio France Internationale. Editor and host, Laura-Angela Bagnetto, sound editing by Cécile Pompeani and Nicolas Doreau.

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