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 […]
20 June 2007
Regulation of GMOs in South Africa: details & short comings
The ACB has been motivated to write this paper by the coming into effect on the 17th April 2007, of the Genetically Modified Organisms Amendment Act (No. 23 of 2006). (ii) This amends the Genetically Modified Organisms Act No. 15 of 1997 (‘GMO Act’), 10 years after it became part of the body of post-apartheid […]
27 May 2007
Trojan Horse for GMOs
After more than 10 years of genetically modified (GM) crop plants being grown in the world, only South Africa out of 53 countries on the African continent have commercial plantings of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Nine countries: Burkina Faso; Egypt; Kenya; Morocco; Senegal; South Africa; Tanzania; Zambia; and Zimbabwe have reported field trials of GMOs, […]
1 March 2007
Nigeria – GMO Legislation
Comments On Nigerian Biosafety Act 2006. Read here.
11 February 2007
Uganda – GMO Legislation
INTRODUCTION During 2001, Uganda embarked on a national agricultural biotechnology programme focusing on the several transformative biotechnology innovations, and genetic engineering (GE). This programme is linked to Uganda’s policy to eradicate poverty by 2015, described in its Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP). PEAP is Uganda’s overarching macro-economic framework, designed to transform Uganda into a modern […]
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
Malawi – GMO Legislation
The government of Malawi published its biosafety draft regulations in The Malawi Gazette Supplement on 13 September 2002 (“biosafety law”), at the height of the GM food aid controversy when several countries in Southern Africa imposed restrictions on the acceptance of genetically modified food aid from the United States. Malawi accepted the GM food aid, […]
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 […]