Latest Resources

1 July 2007
SA’s new GM experiment’s cause for great concern
It is with extreme disquiet that the Africa Centre for Biosafety (ACB) notes the recent spate of new applications for GM experiments in South Africa. These experiments with new GMOs not only place human populations and the environment at great risk, but continue to reinforce a flawed development paradigm, which seeks to introduce hi-tech products […]

8 March 2007
Biofuels Africa Alert: Africa’s Biodiesel: Going Nuts
It is with extreme disquiet that the African Centre for Biosafety notes the recent spate of new applications for GM experiments in South Africa, see below. We are extremely concerned that our government has laid our country open to the wholesale experimentation involving a whole new range of GM applications, in a context where there […]

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
South Africa – National Environmental Management Biodiver Act
Support Letter – Response To Open Invitation By Csir For The Development Of Guidelines To Implement The Provisions Of Section 78 Of The Biodiversity Act EARTHLIFE AFRICA – eThekwini Branch. Read here. Response To Open Invitation By Csir For The Development Of Guidelines To Implement The Provisions Of Section 78 Of The Biodiversity Act Safe […]

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 […]

4 November 2006
Contaminated US Rice Must Be Recalled From Africa
African Groups Condemn US Decision To Authorize Illegal GM Rice Sent To Africa Friends of the Earth Africa and the African Center for Biosafety are today urging African countries to monitor US rice imports and to recall all shipments contaminated with GM rice known as LibertyLink601 (LL601). This call follows the confirmation of the presence […]

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 […]

24 August 2006
Is South Africa in the US WTO Sights Over GM Import Ban?
Opinion And Analysis: By Mariam Mayet, August 2006 South Africa’s ban on GM import approvals South Africa’s pro-genetic engineering (GE) stance is well documented[1] and enshrined in national government policy. [2] During the period 2001-4, South Africa’s Executive Council (ExCo)[3] established under the Genetically Modified Organisms Act (GMO Act) has allowed the importation into South […]