Latest Resources

26 June 2018

WEMA’S Bt Maize & Fall Armyworm Africa claims are unscientific and unsubstantiated

Press Release from the African Centre for Biodiversity Johannesburg, June 27 A new research paper BT Maize and the Fall Armyworm in Africa: Debunking industry claims published by the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) today, debunks unsubstantiated and unscientific claims made by the biotech machinery, especially the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) Project, that […]

4 June 2018

The debate on GMOs in Africa rages on, this time in Tanzania

A heated public debate on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) ensued during a seminar organised by MVIWATA – a network of smallholder farmers – in Morogoro, Tanzania. The meeting took place on 12 May 2018 and was attended by more than a hundred people, including parliamentarians and high-level government officials. The event, which was intended only […]

18 September 2017

MVIWATA and ACB Opposing Application for Field trials of Stacked GM Maize MON 87460 X MON 810

The Tanzania National Farmers Network Organisation, Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA) and the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) are objecting to an application submitted by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) for confined field trials of Monsanto’s stacked GM maize MON 87460 X MON 810 (GM drought tolerant stacked with throw-away […]

1 August 2016

Farmer Managed Seed Systems in Morogoro and Mvomero, Tanzania: The disregarded wealth of smallhol...

In this report by the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), in partnership with Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA) and Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT), based on field work conducted in Morogoro and Mvomero in 2016. It is a continuation of a research partnership with MVIWATA and SAT started in 2014, which has focused on […]

4 May 2016

Changing Seed and Plant Variety Protection Laws in Tanzania – Implications for Farmer-Manag...

Seed legislation is under review in Tanzania with a view to changing this in order to further expand the role of the private sector in the commercial seed sector. This law reform is mainly targeted at the seed marketing laws (Seed Act of 2003 and its regulations of 2007) and revision of its Plant Breeder’s […]

15 February 2015

Manipulate and Mislead: How GMOs Are Infiltrating Africa

The most persistent myth about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is that they are necessary to feed a growing global population. Highly effective marketing campaigns have drilled it into our heads that GMOs will produce more food on less land in an environmentally friendly manner. The mantra has been repeated so often that it is considered […]

11 December 2009

Africa’s Granary Plundered Privatisation of Tanzanian Sorghum Protected by the Seed Treaty

A gene recently isolated from a Tanzanian farmers’ variety of sorghum may yield tremendous pros for multinational companies and government researchers in the United States and Brazil. Called SbMATE, it is not only useful in sorghum; but also may be used in other crops, including genetically engineered (GE) maize, wheat, and rice as well as […]

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 […]