Latest Resources

30 September 2024

Perilous GM wheat to be grown in SA: transgenic crop plants increasingly given a biosafety-free pass

—— Press release ———- 30 September 2024 Genetically modified (GM) wheat, purported to be drought tolerant, is set to be grown in field trials in South Africa during 2025 and 2026, at three locations in the Western Cape (near Moorreesburg, Protem, and Swellendam) and one in the Northern Cape (near Hopetown), following an application for […]

14 May 2024

ACB’s legacy podcast: celebrating 20 years of resistance against GMOs in Africa

This legacy series provides an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the past two decades of ACB’s advocacy and activism, with a particular focus on resisting the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into our agricultural and food systems in Africa.  Our first podcast in the series is hosted by ACB Research and Advocacy Officer […]

23 February 2022

African Union endorses draconian, undemocratic and corporate captured policy guidelines for seed ...

Veuillez cliquer ici pour lire la version française The African Union (AU) has endorsed the continental guidelines for the harmonisation of seed and regulatory frameworks and the continental guidelines for the use of biotechnology in food and agriculture in Africa, despite fierce resistance from African civil society. On 16 February 2022, we found out that […]

28 April 2021

Bayer breathing life into Gates’ failed GM drought tolerant maize

Agrarian extractivism continues unabated on the African continent In this alert, African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) research and advocacy officers, Sabrina Masinjila and Rutendo Zendah, give insights into the development of a double stacked drought tolerant variety MON 87460 x MON 810, under the Gate’s funded project, Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA), now known […]

23 April 2021

Regulator’s blind eye of Corteva’s toxic spread: 2,4-D GM maize and agrarian extractivism in Sout...

It is incontestable that 2,4-D is extremely toxic for the environment and human health, as numerously raised and resisted by civil society for more than a decade. However, a succession of South African regulators over the years have failed to stop 2,4-D from entering our agricultural and food system, in a global context where many […]

18 March 2021

Objection to commodity clearance of Pioneer Hi-Bred RSA GM soybean DAS-814419-2 x DAS-44406-6

Despite the grave warnings of the COVID 19 pandemic and the increased need to de-colonise and de-corporatise our food systems and shift towards sovereignty, there continues to be an increase in the applications for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) of the 2,4-D variety, for introduction into the South African farming and food system. This trend is […]

18 August 2020

Objection to commodity clearance of Corteva’s MON 89034 x TC1507 x MIR162 x NK603 x DAS-40278-9 m...

ACB’s objection to commodity clearance of Corteva’s MON 89034 x TC1507 x MIR162 x NK603 x DAS-40278-9 maize The COVID-19 pandemic shines a light exposing the fragility of South Africa’s unequal and unjust food system. A food system that continues to choose herbicides over health, and profit over people and our planet. Since the pandemic, […]

4 March 2020

More toxic GM crops & food for SA; Ineffective GM drought tolerant maize pushed on Kenya and...

In this first alert of the decade, African Centre of Biodiversity research and advocacy officers Linzi Lewis and Sabrina Masinjila provide an update on the status of GM activities, in South Africa and in relation to the region. Summary of current key trends The South African government has authorised field trials of 2,4-D resistant soybean. […]

10 February 2020

IPC’s letter on UN Food Systems Summit: Call for support

The International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC) calls on CSOs to endorse their letter of concern to the UN regarding the 2021 World Food Summit Since the 1996 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s (FAO’s) World Food Summit (WFS) in Rome, civil society organisations (CSOs) supporting food sovereignty have created alliances across […]

6 September 2019

ALERT: More poisoning of South Africa’s staple food, as 2,4-D GM maize set for approval

6 September 2019 The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) is extremely concerned about impending approvals by the South African government in regard to three new genetically modified (GM) maize varieties designed to withstand the extremely toxic herbicide, 2,4-D. 2,4-D is one of the active ingredients of the infamous war chemical Agent Orange. The ACB has […]