Latest Resources

10 October 2007

Bioprospecting, Biopiracy and Indigenous Knowledge: Two Case Studies from the Eastern Cape, SA

This book provides a critical overview of South Africa’s legal regime with a view to investigating its ability to stem the tide of biopiracy involving indigenous knowledge. Against this backdrop, two case studies are discussed from the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. In this province, the vast majority of inhabitants rely on traditional medicine […]

7 October 2007

Drug Companies Looting SA’s bounty of Medicinal Plants

The government has stepped in to save a tiny South African plant, pelargonium, from extinction after hundreds of tons were harvested for foreign drug companies, one of which has patented its use to fight HIV/Aids. Now traditional healers, who have used the plant for centuries, are trying to win back the patent which they claim […]

21 September 2007

Prof Thompson’s GM Maize Streak Virus

There have been several reports in the media recently about the development of the first genetically engineered crop developed and tested solely by Africans for Africans. Professor Jennifer Thompson and scientists at the University of Cape Town South African, in collaboration with colleagues from seed company, PANNAR Pty Ltd have reported on the development of […]

28 August 2007

Unmasking the New Green revolution in Africa

Unmasking the New Green Revolution in Africa: Motives, Players and Dynamics By Elenita C. Dano Publisher: Third World Network (TWN), Church Development Service (EED) and the African Centre for Biosafety ABOUT THE BOOK Efforts are currently underway to spark a ‘New Green Revolution’ in African agriculture. Modelled on the original Green Revolution which began in […]

20 August 2007

African Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology

African Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology 2007 Read briefing here.

14 August 2007

Regulation of GMOs in South Africa

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 […]

28 July 2007

Stealing South Africa’s Secrets…..

Pelargonium, a plant used in cold and flu remedies, has become a new battleground in the campaign to protect South Africa’s indigenous flora and traditional knowledge from bio-pirates. An interview with Mariam Mayet published by the Mail & Guardian written by Yolandi Groenwald on 15 January, 2007.

27 July 2007

ACB Submission on Bioprospecting & ABS Draft Regulations, 2007

SUBMISSIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM ON THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT: BIODIVERSITY ACT, 2004: REGULATIONS ON BIOPROSPECTING, ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING. Read here.

27 July 2007

ACB Submission on IPRs from Publicaly Funded Research Bill, 2007

Currently, South African intellectual property legislation is highly fragmented, a situation that gives rise to a number of gaps and anomalies that undermine the rights of indigenous people. “Indigenous people” is not clearly defined by NEMBA or it Draft Regulations except to refer to such people as residing in a defined geographical area to which […]

26 July 2007

Monsanto’s “Seed of Hope Campaign” in South Africa: A Briefing document, Januar...

Monsanto has conceived of an ingenious smallholders’ programme known as the ‘Seeds of Hope Campaign’, which targets the ‘bottom of the pyramid’-very low-income consumers who have substantial purchasing power as a group. Closed markets in Europe, worldwide consumer rejection, heated international debates about the risks of GMOs, and the intransigence of Africa, sans, South Africa, […]