The Battle for African Agriculture Podcast || Episode 15 Stacy Malkan
In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Million Belay speaks with Stacy Malkan a journalist, public health advocate, and co-founder of U.S. Right to Know to uncover how agrochemical corporations have shaped global food systems through propaganda, scientific manipulation, and political influence. Drawing from years of investigative work, Stacy reveals the hidden tactics behind GMO promotion, the health and environmental impacts of glyphosate, the corporate capture of universities and regulators, the lessons from Mexico’s fight to protect native corn, and the growing push to impose similar models in Africa. This conversation offers essential insights for anyone concerned about food sovereignty, public health, and the future of agriculture on the continent.
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The Battle for African Agriculture Podcast || Episode 14 Micheal Antoniou
In this episode of The Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay speaks with Professor Michael Antoniou, a molecular geneticist whose decades of work in medical biotechnology give him a rare insider view on the limits and dangers of applying genetic engineering to agriculture. Although he uses gene technologies in tightly controlled clinical settings, he explains why releasing genetically modified and gene-edited crops into the environment is scientifically risky, poorly regulated, and fundamentally different from their use in medicine.
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The Battle for African Agriculture Podcast || Episode 13 Mariam Mayet
In this episode, Million Belay speaks with Mariam Mayet, founder of the African Centre for Biodiversity, about Africa’s decades-long resistance to GMOs and corporate control of food systems. They trace the history of anti-GMO activism, the rise of philanthrocapitalism, and the failures of industrial agriculture across the continent. Mariam shares powerful insights on protecting Africa’s seed sovereignty and why agroecology rooted in traditional knowledge and small-scale farming is the continent’s path to a just, sustainable, and self-reliant food future.
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The Battle for African Agriculture Podcast || Episode 12 Anne Maina
In this episode of the Battle for African Agriculture podcast, Million Belay speaks with Anne Maina, the National Coordinator of the Biodiversity and Biosafety Association of Kenya (BIBA Kenya). Anne shares her journey into advocacy and the work BIBA does to promote biosafety and food sovereignty. She explains how the organization pushes back against the influence of GMOs in Kenya, which are often backed by corporate and philanthropic interests. The conversation covers the health, legal, and policy issues surrounding GMOs in Kenya. Anne stresses that true food security is about access, not just availability. She highlights the importance of legal advocacy, coalition-building through networks like AFSA, and the need for youth and scientists to join the movement. The episode is a strong call to defend Africa’s food systems through agroecology and local solutions.
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The Battle for African Agriculture Podcast || Episode 11 Michael Hansen
In this sharp and thought-provoking episode of Battle for African Agriculture, Dr. Million Belay is joined by Dr. Michael Hansen—Senior Scientist at Consumer Reports and globally respected authority on genetic engineering and food safety. Drawing on over two decades of work in policy advocacy and international regulation, Dr. Hansen breaks down the science and politics behind genetic modification, highlighting the risks of GMOs, pesticide reliance, and the corporate control of seeds. He explains how the global push for industrial agriculture—under the guise of innovation—is eroding biodiversity, endangering food safety, and undermining seed sovereignty, particularly in the Global South.
South Africa