Latest GM & Biosafety Resources

Will stringent regulation safeguard Africa’s food systems? Across Africa, powerful corporate, donor, and government interests are driving a rapid push to deregulate genome editing in agriculture. Countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Burkina Faso have adopted product-based guidelines that exempt many genome-edited crops from GMO regulation if no foreign DNA is present in […]

UPDATE: After nine years of arduous litigation by the ACB, a full bench of the Supreme Court of Appeal on 22 October 2024 set aside several layers of decision-making regarding the approval of the application by Monsanto, now Bayer, for commercial release of its drought-tolerant genetically modified maize, MON87460. 28 June 2023 UPDATE: In 2023, […]

Over the past few years, the ACB has produced and shared several briefing papers concerning new genetic engineering technologies for food and agriculture. Building on this work, and in light of the major deregulation push globally concerning genome editing, including in several countries in Africa, we have produced two updated factsheets on this dangerous distraction […]

S’attaquer aux risques, au battage médiatique et aux inégalités qui sous-tendent la biologie générative Click here for the English version. Haga clic aquí para la versión en español. Le Centre africain pour la biodiversité (ACB), en collaboration avec le Réseau Tiers-monde (TWN) et l’ETC Group, a produit une note d’information opportune avant la 16e réunion […]

Afrontar los riesgos, exageraciones y desigualdades de la biología generativa Click here for the English version. Cliquez ici pour la version française. El Centro Africano para la Biodiversidad (ACB), junto con la Third World Network (TWN) y el ETC Group, han elaborado un oportuno documento informativo de cara a la 16ª reunión de la Conferencia […]

Addressing the risks, hype, and inequities underpinning generative biology Haga clic aquí para la versión en español. Cliquez ici pour la version française. The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), together with Third World Network (TWN) and ETC Group, have produced a timely briefing paper ahead of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties […]

This legacy series provides an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the past two decades of ACB’s advocacy and activism, with a particular focus on resisting the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into our agricultural and food systems in Africa.  Our first podcast in the series is hosted by ACB Research and Advocacy Officer […]

International and national biosafety regulations are urgently needed, including the right to say no By Sabrina Masinjila, African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) research and advocacy officer Masinjila can be seen making a statement on behalf of the Convention of Biological Diversity Alliance (CBDA), calling for Parties to support the ongoing work of the Multidisciplinary Ad […]

Food sovereignty alliance from Latin America, Africa, and Asia approaches seven UN Special Rapporteurs for urgent intervention to block cultivation and trade of GM wheat HB4 To date over 100 organisations endorse this submission. Please note the deadline for endorsements is Wednesday 15 February. PRESS RELEASE 30 January 2024 On 26 January 2024, a submission […]

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, 7-8 February, the ACB’s case was heard in the High Court. Five years earlier, the ACB lodged the application for this review, to overturn the decisions of the South African Executive Council (EC): Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Act, the GMO Appeal Board, and the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and […]

In 2017, the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) lodged legal proceedings with the High Court of South Africa to review and overturn the decisions of the South African Executive Council: GMO Act (EC), the GMO Appeal Board, and the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, approving Monsanto/Bayer’s genetically modified (GM) drought-tolerant (DT) maize variety MON […]

A coalition of non-governmental organisations, farmer groups and research experts from various African countries call on the Nigerian government to revoke the permits granted by Nigeria’s National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, for the commercial release of genetically modified (Bt) Cowpea (PBR-Cowpea). This call was made yesterday in […]