Latest Resources

18 May 2017

FISPs Factsheets: FISPs’ Aims

ACB developed these easy to read factsheets that explain what farm input subsidy programs are and how they operate. The second factsheet in the series looks at the aims of the programme. Chichewa | English | Nyanja | Portuguese | Sesotho | Setswana | Shona | Siswati | Swahili | Xhosa To read the next […]

18 May 2017

FISPs Factsheets: What are FISPs?

Farm input subsidy programmes (FISPs) play a central role in financing and delivering Green Revolution technologies to small-scale farmers in Africa. These programmes are rolled out in numerous African countries-from Ghana to Swaziland. The first in the series gives a better idea of what exactly FISPs are. Chichewa | English | Nyanja | Portuguese | […]

18 May 2017

Farm Input Subsidy Programmes: A factsheet series

Farm input subsidy programmes (FISPs) play a central role in financing and delivering Green Revolution technologies to small-scale farmers in Africa. These programmes are rolled out in numerous African countries-from Ghana to Swaziland. ACB developed these easy to read factsheets that explain what farm input subsidy programs are and how they operate vis-à-vis smallholder farmers, […]

25 April 2017

Objection to commercial release of MON87460 X NK603 X MON89034 (triple stacked involving drought ...

In this objection, ACB raises numerous concerns with the application by Monsanto for the commercial release of the triple stacked event. Drought tolerance is a highly complex genetic trait that cannot be addressed by single gene insertions, as shown by the lack of data backing up the applicant’s claim that this GM variety shows “improvements […]

13 March 2017

Two simplified briefings introducing new GM technologies and biosafety risks

These reports introduce the novel techniques already being employed, or in development and their associated biosafety concerns that go against the claim that crops developed with these methods are technological progress in ‘precision’ and ‘safety’. Further described is the utilisation of RNA interference, an epigenetic process that is already being employed in commercialised crops. Despite […]

28 November 2016

Biosafety aspects of genome-editing techniques

Biosafety TWN Briefing – Biosafety aspects of genome-editing techniques. You can download the paper here.

11 July 2016

Farm Input Subsidy Programmes (FISPs): A Benefit for, or the Betrayal of, SADC’s Small-Scale Farm...

This paper reviews the farm input subsidy programmes (FISPs) within countries belonging to the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), to ascertain whether input subsidies have benefited small-scale farmers, have increased food security at the household and national levels, and have improved the incomes of small-scale farmers. Download the report.

18 April 2016

Zimbabwean smallholder support at the crossroads: Diminishing returns from Green Revolution seed ...

This scoping report is published jointly by the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB and the Zimbabwe Small-Scale Organic Farmers’ Forum (ZIMSOFF). The report focuses on government and donor farm input subsidy programmes (FISPs) and seed aid in facilitating the spread of Green Revolution technologies and raises questions about who really benefits from these programmes. It […]

3 April 2016

The chicanery behind GM non-commercial ‘orphan crops’ and rice for Africa

This paper focuses on research and development (R&D) relevant to non-commercial so-called ‘orphan crops’ in Africa—cassava, sorghum, sweet potato, pigeon pea and millet —as well as one commercial crop, rice. This paper should be read in conjunction with work already produced on GM banana (Schnurr, 2014) and GM cowpea (ACB, 2015). These non- commercial crops […]

11 February 2016

Over 57,000 Express Concern with Human Feeding Trials of GMO Bananas

Simultaneous demonstrations in Ames and Seattle highlight controversy surrounding Gates Foundation-funded Transgenic Banana Study at Iowa State University Ames, IA and Seattle, WA: On Monday February 15th, Iowa State University graduate students will deliver 57,309 petition signatures to the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at ISU while AGRA Watch members deliver the same petition […]