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This publicly available list of Highly Hazardous Pesticides, hitherto shrouded in secrecy and closely guarded by the pesticide industry, and using the categorisation and criteria developed by the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Management, shows that there are 192 highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) registered and in use in SA. Of this, only 16 have partial […]

In this first alert of the decade, African Centre of Biodiversity research and advocacy officers Linzi Lewis and Sabrina Masinjila provide an update on the status of GM activities, in South Africa and in relation to the region. Summary of current key trends The South African government has authorised field trials of 2,4-D resistant soybean. […]

Thank you for supporting our continental campaign to ban glyphosate The deadline for signing on to the petition was Friday, 30 August, 2019. In the next phase of the campaign, many organisations around the continent are sending letters to their governments calling for a ban. In this paper we explain why. Globally, glyphosate and glyphosate-based […]

As part of the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)’s monitoring and resistance of GMO activities in SA, we share with you, our latest GMO Alert. In this alert we highlight the following issues concerning GMOs in South Africa: General release of the Monsanto/Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) GM drought tolerant maize on hold as […]

On 7 April 7 2017 the South African government issued draft amendments to its regulations governing the legal limits for pesticide residues on food crops. The proposed amendments expose the gaps in regulations to date, despite the cultivation of herbicide-tolerant GM crops for almost two decades. As the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) team researched […]

This briefing calls for a ban on glyphosate and that other toxic herbicides, such as 2,4-D and dicamba must similarly also come under urgent review and that adequate measures must be put in place to ensure that more toxic chemicals do not replace glyphosate.

You Can make a difference by keeping the pressure on food producers. Consumer pressure works… Especially if it is constant and relentless… We have won many victories and we can win the big ones too. Consumers have the power! Let’s take back our food supply… Please sign our petition to call on South African food […]

Call for urgent Parliamentary hearing on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and transparent review of risk assessment procedures and public participation in GMO decision making To Mr. Mlungisi Lulu Johnson Chair: Portfolio Committee on Agriculture Parliament of South Africa Dear Honourable Mr Johnson, Recent events, such as the nationwide protests against Monsanto and consumer outrage over […]

Groups appeal to UN High Commissioner For Human Rights, Secretary-General of CBD Civil society groups from South Africa, Latin America- especially Brazil, Argentina- and the United States are deeply disturbed by the recent decision by the South African GMO authorities to grant approval for the import into South Africa, of Dow’s genetically engineered (GE) soybean […]

The Africa Centre for Biosafety (ACB) has dismissed the findings of the biotechnology industry’s flagship annual report, published by the GM industry funded ‘NGO’, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), as mischievous and erroneous. According to the report, South Africa’s GM crop area increased by a record 26% or 600,000 hectares […]

Dow’s 2,4-D & glufosinate ammonium soybeans-the case for its rejection In this briefing, we outline our food safety concerns with Dow Chemical’s GM soybean genetically engineered to resist the herbicides, 2,4-D and glufosinate ammonium (DAS-6816-4). We also outline the reasons for the spate of these even more toxic GM herbicide tolerant crops and the markets […]

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) is deeply dismayed and shocked that the GMO decision-making body has given the green light for the importation of Dow Chemical’s highly controversial 2,4-D tolerant GM maize (variety DAS 40278-9) into South Africa, where it will be used as food. The variety has yet to be approved in the […]