Latest Resources

17 February 2013

Feeding the Dragon: Durban conference to promote massive GM soya push in Africa

Durban will host the 9th World Soybean Research Conference in February 2013, sponsored by the Ethekwini Municipality and agrochemical corporations Monsanto, Syngenta and Dupont. The theme of the conference is “From China to Africa. Can research close the gap between soy production and increasing global demand?” According to Mariam Mayet, Director of the African Centre […]

11 October 2012

Consumers win GM labelling victory

Consumers in South Africa have won a hard earned victory with regard to the labelling of genetically modified (GM) foods. Yesterday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) published draft amendments to the regulations governing the labelling of GM food. According to the draft amendments, all locally produced and imported food containing 5% or more […]

8 October 2012

Glyphosate in SA: unregulated and contaminating our water and soil: ACB calls for a moratorium on...

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) has today released its new research on glyphosate, titled “Glyphosate in SA: Risky pesticide at large and unregulated in our soil and water”. The research shows that although glyphosate (a weed killer) is ubiquitous throughout South African agriculture, there is precious little research done to monitor and manage its […]

27 September 2012

South Africans call for immediate ban on GM maize after shocking cancer study

Explosive results from a new French study conducted on the long-term health impacts of genetically modified (GM) foods published in the peer reviewed journal ‘Food and Toxicology’ last week, suggest that consumers in South Africa face a very serious threat from one of their staple foods. The results have the biotechnology industry spin doctors, and […]

25 September 2012

Open letter to Minister of Agriculture, SA for Immediate banning of all Roundup Ready maize from ...

The ACB and several organisations and individuals have sent an open letter to Ms. Tina Joemat-Pettersson Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for the immediate banning of all RR maize in SA following the release of the Seralini NK603 study (“French Study of GMOs on rats”). Read the Open Letter here. Read the French Study […]

1 August 2012

SA’s food safety compromised by lack of testing for risky glyphosate

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) has today released its new study titled, “How much glyphosate is on your dinner plate? SA’s food safety compromised by lack of testing.” This study highlights numerous risks posed by the herbicide glyphosate to human and animal health as well as worrying regulatory failures, particularly in relation to the […]

18 July 2012

‘Agent Orange’ tainted GM maize given green light in SA

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 […]

28 May 2012

Smallholder farmers and consumers to pay the price for corporate seed merger

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) learned today that US multi-national seed company Pioneer Hi-Bred has been granted permission by the Competition Appeal Court, to acquire the nation’s last major independent seed company, Pannar seed. The ACB was an intervening party, opposing the merger in the public interest. In granting the merger, the court has […]

20 March 2012

GMO Watchdog to Lodge Complaint

Press Release from the African Centre for Biosafety 20th March 2012 Following revelations that several common household food products contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) has sought advice on its legal options. The ACB seeks to enforce the public’s right of access to information on the GMO content of food […]

12 March 2012

SA Biotech ‘Boom’ a flop for farmers, consumers

On the 9 March 2012, the chief lobbyist for the biotech industry, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA), presented findings from its latest annual report to the media in Pretoria, South Africa. The ISAAA proudly proclaimed another boom year for genetically modified (GM) crops in South Africa and claimed that the […]