Latest Resources

South Africa – GMO Act 15

Submission To Chairpersons Of Portfolio Committees Of: Agriculture And Land Affairs, Environmental Affairs And Tourism, Science And Technology, Health, Trade And Industry, Water Affairs And Forestry, Labour Mariam Mayet, April 2006. Read here. Supported by South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering, Earthlife Africa, Safe Food Coalition, Ekogaia Foundation, Farmers Legal Action Group-South Africa, Noordhoek […]

South Africans support international GM opposition day

Earthlife Africa (ELA) and the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) are joining an international day of action on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on Saturday the 8th of April, in demanding that GM food for sale in South Africa is labeled as such. Currently, South Africa’s labeling regulations do not require the mandatory labeling of GM […]

The Long, winding road to a Biosafety Protocol – a South African view

At the negotiations for the Biosafety Protocol in Cartagena, the South Africa government surprised critics by displaying a maturity and understanding of the issues and concerns facing developing countries on the question of genetically engineered organisms. This in spite of attempts by the ‘Miami group’, a negotiating group representing the largest producer nations of biotechnology, […]

Zambia – GMO Legislation

INTRODUCTION The Draft Labeling Standards are non-binding in the sense that they do not create legally binding obligations and responsibilities. As such, they are also not legally enforceable. The lack of teeth of the standards is not cured by the fact that the Zambian Bureau of Standards, a statutory body, produces the standards. However, the […]

Comment on Zimbabwe’s National Biotechnology Authority Bill, 2005

Comment on Zimbabwe’s National Biotechnology Authority Bill, 2005 Read here.

Dow Agrosciences field trials of GM maize blocked

The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) has today learned that its objections, launched exactly 7 months ago, strenuously resisting DOW Agrosciencs application to field test its GM maize event TC 1507, have been successful. Read more here.

A glimpse through the crack in the door: South Africa’s permitting system for GMOs

During 2004, the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) spent a considerable amount of time monitoring the South African permitting system for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In the course of its work, it lodged comprehensive objections to numerous applications for the import, marketing and field- testing of GMOs. Read here.

Explanation And Comments On The Cameroon Biosafety Law Mariam Mayet, April 2004

The Cameroon Biosafety Law No 2003/006 titled “Law No 2003/006 of 21 April 2003 To Lay Down Safety Regulations Governing Biotechnology in Cameroon” (“Biosafety Law”) was signed by the President of Cameroon on the 21 April 2003, and passed by the Cameroon Parliament during November 2003. Cameroon is a Party to the Cartagena Protocol on […]

Africa: Dumping ground for rejected GE wheat

On the 19th of January 2004 Monsanto announced it had approached the South African government with permission to import its genetically engineered (GE) wheat, known as Round-up Ready wheat, in an obvious pre-emptive attempt to create a much needed market for its GE wheat, because none exists anywhere in the world. This comes at a […]

South Africa – GMO Legislation

ANALYSIS OF SOUTH AFRICA’S GMO ACT OF 1997 by Mariam Mayet Long version read more. Short version read more.