Ethiopia's Environmental Protection Authority has approved the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) to conduct trials on genetically modified (GM) potatoes, developed by BASF to resist late blight. This makes potatoes the third consumer GMO product, following maize and Enset (false banana), to be authorized for commercial production in Ethiopia. The project, backed by USAID and the International Potato Center (CIP), aims to combat potato harvest losses of about 20% globally caused by the disease. However, the introduction of GM crops has sparked public debate due to concerns around their effectiveness in addressing food security issues.