Latest Resources
30 January 2024
No to GM wheat!
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 […]
8 March 2022
Coalition demands a ban of Bt Cowpea in Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries
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 […]
3 February 2020
The GM potato push in Rwanda: With regulatory hurdles in Uganda, is this the industry’s fall back?
Sauter au français To enable the introduction of the first GM crop to be grown in Rwanda – a GM potato variety named ‘Victoria’ – the Rwandan government is fast-tracking the development of a biosafety policy and legal framework. Civil society is deeply concerned about the potential risks of this GM potato variety, which has […]
2 July 2019
Civil Society Denounces the Release of GM mosquitoes in Burkina Faso
We, the undersigned civil society organisations from Africa and around the world, denounce the release of genetically modified (GM) “male-sterile” mosquitoes in Burkina Faso. The GM mosquitoes were released in the village of Bana on 1 July 2019 by the Target Malaria research consortium.[i] The open release is intended to test the infrastructure and systems […]
23 April 2019
South Africa’s new seed and PVP Acts undermine farmers’ rights and entrench corporate capture, co...
Press Release from the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) 23 April 2019, Johannesburg, South Africa The highly problematic new Plant Improvement Act 2018 (PIA) and Plant Breeder’s Rights Act 2018 (PBR), approved by Parliament last year, have been signed into law this March by the President, replacing the 1976 versions. Regulations are currently being drafted […]
7 December 2018
Mark Lynas slammed for exploiting African farmers’ images to promote GMOs
African farmers are demanding that Lynas cease using their images in his GMO promotionals; Lynas’s mischief-making may have triggered Tanzania’s ending of GMO field trials. Report: Claire Robinson, GMWatch and Mariam Mayet, African Centre for Biodiversity. The British pro-GMO activist Mark Lynas has angered African farmers over his mis-use of their images on the internet […]
23 November 2018
Tanzania orders destruction of Monsanto/Gates’ GM trials due to illegal use for pro-GM propaganda
Dar es Salaam 23 November 2018 Tanzanian civil society organisations (CSOs) welcome the decision of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Mathew Mtigumwe, to bring an immediate stop to all ongoing GM field trials taking place in the country. These are under the auspices of the Water Efficient Maize for […]
9 November 2018
Release of risky GM mosquitoes in Burkina Faso highly unethical
Press Release issued by African Centre for Biodiversity, Third World Network and GeneWatch UK Johannesburg, 9 November 2018 Release of risky GM mosquitoes in Burkina Faso highly unethical Risky genetically modified (GM) “male-sterile” mosquitoes are due to be released in the very near future, in Burkina Faso by the Target Malaria research consortium. However, Target […]
5 November 2018
AU’s premature and misguided endorsement of controversial, unproven gene drive mosquitos for mala...
Press Release from the African Centre for Biodiversity AU’s premature and misguided endorsement of controversial, unproven gene drive mosquitos for malaria ‘eradication’ in Africa Johannesburg, Monday, 5 November 2018 The African Union (AU) is paving the way for the entry of the latest and most controversial form of genetic engineering, gene drive technologies. In July […]
12 October 2018
WFD Celebrations honouring Seed Diversity and Custodians in the Eastern Cape
Press Release: World Food Day Celebration in the Eastern cape: Phansi GMO Maize Phambili Agrocology! 15th October 2018 On World Food Day, 16th October 2018, the African Centre for Biodiversity is partnering with Zingisa, Ntinga Ntaba ka Ndoda, Ilizwi Lamafama, Mxumbu Youth Cooperative, Calabash Trust and Khanyisa to celebrate and honour local seed diversity, and […]