Latest Resources
19 September 2022
ACB comments on the Draft White Paper on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of South AfricaR...
Please find here ACB’s submission to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment regarding the recently published Draft White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s Biodiversity, 2022. The current conservation model and practice are founded on historical colonial practices, entrenched in apartheid, of over-exploitation and exclusion of African people. Historical inequalities have remained […]
10 March 2021
Reflections on the Regional Dialogue on African Food Systems, at the Seventh Session of the Afric...
On 4 March 2021, a Regional Dialogue on African Food Systems took place at the Seventh Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. This is the African Centre for Biodiversity’s response to the event. From reading the background document issued to frame the dialogue topics and participants in […]
22 January 2021
Tanzania cancels GMO trials again: Urgent need to uphold ban, disrupt false solutions and neo-col...
In a totally unexpected move, the newly appointed Tanzania Agricultural Minister, Prof Adolf Mkenda, in mid-January 2021 announced the cancellation of research trials involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country and the decision to put in place extra biosafety scrutiny of imported genetically modified (GM) seed. The decision was taken by the Minister in […]
9 January 2012
ACB comments on biofuels mandatory blending
The African Centre for Biodiversity hereby lodges its objections and comments to the draft regulations regarding the mandatory blending of biofuels with petrol and diesel. Read here.
8 December 2010
Competition Commission rejects Pioneer Hi Bred seed takeover
Media Advisory from the African Centre for Biosafety Johannesburg, 8th December 2010. The African Centre for Biosafety applauds the decision of the Competition Commission not to approve the take-over of Pannar Seed, South Africa’s largest seed company, by the multinational corporation and seed giant, Pioneer Hi-Bred, a subsidiary of the DuPont chemical company. The ACB […]
9 November 2009
Response from the AU Commission Biosafety Unit to Briefing no. 9
In July 2009 The African Union Biosafety Unit communicated their concerns about the ACB’s briefing no.9, their letter can be viewed here. The original briefing can be viewed at here, The ACB’s response is titled On-going concerns about harmonisation of biosafety regulations in Africa, November 2009.
1 March 2007
Nigeria – GMO Legislation
Comments On Nigerian Biosafety Act 2006. Read here.
11 February 2007
Tanzania – GMO Legislation
THE NATIONAL BIOSAFETY GUIDELINES FOR TANZANIA According to the Minister of State in the Vice President’s office-Environment, the Honourable Mr Ntagazwa, the Biosafety Guidelines are meant to “facilitate the importation and use of GMOs and their products in Tanzania”. Indeed, the Guidelines, which pay a great deal of attention to scientific details, establish a non-legally […]
11 February 2007
Swaziland – GMO Legislation
OVERVIEW We have been approached by civil society groups in Swaziland to provide comments on the Draft National Policy Document, “Creating an enabling environment for the safe use of biotechnology and its products in Swaziland” and the Biosafety Bill, 2005. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/World Food Programme (WFP) crop and food supply […]
11 February 2007
Lesotho – GMO Legislation
Evidently influenced by the UNEP-GEF Biosafety Project, the Biosafety Bill has been drafted principally to implement the Biosafety Protocol verbatim, and in so doing, perpetuates some of the weaknesses and deficiencies of the Biosafety Protocol. For instance, the scope of the Biosafety Bill is predicated on the scope of the Biosafety Protocol where the risks […]