Latest Resources
13 May 2008
Geraniums Stop that Cough – Pelargonium Factsheet
Rural community of South Africa stands up against pelargonium-patents and biopiracy. The Alice community, living in the Eastern Cape area of South Africa, in close collaboration with the African Center for Biosafety and supported by the Berne Declaration (Switzerland), the Church Development Service (EED) and “Kein Patent auf Leben” (Germany), has challenged two European patents […]
5 March 2008
GM potato rejected in year of potato
The UN General Assembly has declared 2008 to be the ‘international year of the potato’. Unbeknown to the public, the South Africa government has allowed the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), supported by USAID and Michigan State University, to experiment with GM potatoes. All though South Africans on average eat 29 kilograms of potatoes a year, […]
4 March 2008
GM Potatoes face import ban & rejection
GM potatoes rejected in Year of Potato GM potatoes face import bans and rejection The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2008 to be the ‘International Year of the Potato’ in celebration of the potato – one of the world’s best loved foods. Yet, South Africa seems hell bent on messing with the humble potato. […]
27 February 2008
First GMO Seed Scandal in Africa: SA Contaminated the Continent
Seed maize from South Africa, claiming to be pure, has been found to be contaminated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The South African branch of US seed giant Pioneer Hi-Bred recently exported contaminated maize seeds to unsuspecting Kenyan farmers. The maize seeds are contaminated with a genetically engineered variety-MON810- belonging to Monsanto that has not […]
20 February 2008
ACB’s Updated GMO biohazard maps
Their ability to escape into the environment is well known. Their safety for people with allergies remains in question. Yet we continue to experiment with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and some have even been commercially released. And yes, they may be growing, undetected, unmarked and right out in the open in a field near you. […]
28 January 2008
Fruit & Veg City’s Stance on the availability of Genetically Modified Produce in SA
RE: FRUIT AND VEG CITY?S STANCE ON THE AVAILABILITY OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PRODUCE IN SA We at Fruit and Veg City are of the opinion that the availability and sale of genetically modified fruits or vegetables should be treated with caution, and we do not support the current application process to sell these products in […]
14 November 2007
Biowatch Court Ruling: Gross Miscarriage of Environmental Justice
Several environmental groups in South Africa have slammed the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling that threatens to financially strangle Biowatch SA, a non profit organisation acting in the public interest. Read here.
17 August 2007
SA Rejects GM bulbs & flowers
Failed Application for Contained Use of Genetically Modified flowers and bulbs involving Ornithogalum dubium x thyrsoides Line A2 The South African GMO Authority, the Executive Council (EC), established under the GMO Act has refused the first ever application for experimentation of GM bulbs and flowers outside a laboratory facility. Read here.
17 August 2007
Thumbs down for GM Mosquitocide
The Executive Council acting under the Genetically Modified Organisms Act has rejected out of hand, an application by Biological Control Products SA (Pty) Ltd, to test in open water sources, a genetically modified mosquitocide. The mosquitocide has been genetically engineered to destroy mosquito larvae. Read here.
14 October 2006
South Africa’s Wine Industry Threatened By GM Grapevine Trials
Issued by the African Centre for Biosafety and Earthlife Africa The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) and Earthlife Africa Ethekwini (ELA), are calling on the South African government to reject an application by the Institute for Wine Biotechnology (IWB) based at the University of Stellenbosch, to conduct open- air field trials in South Africa, involving […]