The biotechnology industry has spread many myths about what GMOs can do. These are not based on fact and have been shown to be false in reality. Myths we often hear include: GMOs decrease pesticide use; they have massively increased yield potential; and have been thoroughly tested for safety.

GM crops are not the norm. Less than 3% of global agricultural land is planted with GM crops, with the majority being grown in the United States, Brazil and Argentina. Together, these three countries grew 77% of the 160 million hectares of GM crops grown in 2011. South Africa is the eighth largest producer of GMOs in the world, having grown about 2.1 million hectares in 2011.

Farmers buy GM technology to make management of their crops easier. But this has turned into a nightmare for many farmers because in the long run, GM crops have created new problems on top of the old ones.

Read the fact sheet here.