Latest Resources

Submission by ACB and African CSOs to ARIPO on its draft PVP law and policies, November 2012

During October/November 2012, a number of African groups from civil society in Africa supported a submission to ARIPO on its draft policy and legal framework for PVP. In such submission, the groups pointed out that draft legal framework was not written with the interests of sub-Saharan African states in mind, particularly ARIPO member states. This […]

African Civil Society Statement: Call for a ban on GMOs

We, the undersigned, members of civil society organisations from across the African continent, hereby call for an immediate and complete ban on the growing, importing and exporting of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the African continent. We call upon the governments of Africa to take the necessary steps to protect the health of their populations […]

Open Letter to AGRI SA: Response to its unsubstantiated claims about the benefits of GM maize in SA

Snippet from the letter below. The ACB read with interest an article published in the Business Day (2nd October, ‘AgriSA backs gene-modified maize’), in which you argue that the curtailment of cultivating GM maize in South Africa would lead to lower yields, higher maize prices, and an increase in the use of agricultural pesticides. You […]

Statement on AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa)

At a farmers rights meeting held in Uganda in September 2012, where a statement was drawn up and signed by many concerned parties. Read the statement here. Signatures:

Open Letter to African Governments and AGRA (The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa)

The undersigned 28 civil society organisations support and represent the interests of smallholder farmers and livestock keepers from Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, and are concerned with the conservation of agricultural biodiversity for livelihood security and food sovereignty. View the full statement here.

Call on BASF, Bayer, and Syngenta to stop marketing highly hazardous pesticides

PAN Germany, a charitable organisation which provides information on the adverse effects of pesticides and promotes environmentally friendly and socially just alternatives. We will send the following letter in your name: To: Syngenta, Martin Taylor, Chairman of the Board of Directors Bayer CropScience, Sandra E. Peterson, Chief Executive Office BASF, Wayne T. Smith, Member of […]

Agent Orange Maize to Enter South Africa

ACB has chosen to use the AVAAZ platform to run our petitions. Please click here and sign the petition and spread the word.

Response to the Environment Green Paper 2010

The ACB has submitted comments on the Department of Environmental Affairs’ National Climate Change Response Green Paper. Read here.

An Open Letter to Oxfam America

Sent from the following concerned groups: African Center on Biodiversity, South Africa (Mariam Mayet, Executive Director) Bharatiya Krishak Samaj/Indian Farmers Association, India (Krishan Bir Chaudhary, President) Center for Food Safety, U.S. (Debi Barker, International Director) CNOP (Coordination Nationale des organizations Paysannes/ National Coordination of Peasant Organizations), Mali (Ibrahima Coulibaly, President) Grassroots International, US (Nikhil Aziz, […]

Support our appeal to the minister for Environmental Impact Assessment of GM maize GA21

On the13th of December 2009, Syngenta published a public notice of their intent to apply to the GMO Registrar for a permit for the general release of genetically modified maize, GA21. Having obtained a ‘non-confidential-business-information’ version of Syngenta’s application, it is our contention that the application cannot be adequately assessed. The information provided is sketchy […]