Mexico

In August 2026, Mexico became the first country to authorize the commercial sale of a fungicide containing an interfering RNA (RNAi) as its active ingredient. This is not the first commercially approved product to utilize such molecules. The best-known example remains Calantha – developed by the same company, GreenLight Biosciences – which is designed to combat the Colorado potato beetle. This article provides a brief overview of the current status of RNAi-based pesticides.

Although it went largely unnoticed by the media, a victory was secured in Mexico on 17 March 2025 by indigenous peoples and certain scientists: a ban on the cultivation of GM maize was enshrined in the national Constitution. More recently, on 21 January 2026, another milestone victory was achieved by those campaigning against the risks posed by GM maize imported from the United States. But what is this maize, and what risks does it pose?