Latest Resources
2 June 2010
ACB’s objection to GA21 x Bt 11
As usual, we have only been furnished with information that the developers deem to be ‘non-confidential’, so crucial data required to make a thorough independent assessment is missing. Excluded information included details of test data specific to South African growing conditions. The cauliflower mosaic virus 35s promoter (35S-CaMV) is present in GA21 x Bt11. There […]
31 May 2010
ACB’s objection to Monsanto’s commodity clearance application for Smartstax
On 20 April, Business Day carried a public notice of Monsanto’s application to the South African GMO registrar for permission to import Smartstax maize, arguably the world’s most controversial and risky commercially grown GMO. While the majority of commercially grown genetically engineered crops contain at most 3 foreign genes, Smartstax contains eight, 6 of which […]
17 April 2010
140 groups & scientists urge Senate to oppose GM clause in Global Food Security Act
140 groups & scientists urge Senate to oppose GM clause in Global Food Security Act 13 Apr 2010 Dear Colleagues: Today’s press release on the Global Food Security Act below, expressing the concerns of PAN, Food First, National Family Farm Coalition, the African Center for Biosafety and partners. And MANY MANY thanks to all of […]
17 April 2010
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, […]
14 April 2010
ACB’s objection to Monsanto’s application for trial release of drought tolerant GM ma...
Monsanto has been conducting field trials of drought tolerant maize in South Africa since 2007, and has recently applied to have these trials extended. Monsanto has presented the trials as forming part of the much larger Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) Initiative, of which the African Centre for Biosafety has already criticised in a […]
7 February 2010
Request to approach SpungtaG2 appeals board as Amicus Curiae
At the Executive Council: GMO Act meeting of 21st July 2009, the decision was taken to deny the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) permission to release genetically modified potatoes onto the market. The decision was not published on the Department of Agriculture’s (DAFF) website until the 14th of October 2009. We are aware that the ARC […]
7 February 2010
ACB’s Objection to Syngenta’s application for general release of GM maize GA21
On 13th 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 […]
26 January 2010
Joy as Pelargonium patent revoked
The Opposition Division of the European Patent Office (EPO) has today revoked a patent granted to Dr. Willmar Schwabe (Schwabe) in its entirety. The patent was opposed by the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) from South Africa acting on behalf of a rural community in Alice, in the Eastern Cape, in collaboration with the Swiss […]
25 November 2009
Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) challenges leaders on climate change
We, the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), representing small holders, pastoralists, hunter/gatherers, indigenous peoples, citizens and environmentalists from Africa demand that African leaders do more to protect Africa’s food sovereignty, biodiversity, culture and livelihoods of her people. Read here.
15 September 2009
ACB’S Objections to Syngenta’s application for field trials of GM Maize
Prepared for the African Centre for Biosafety by Dr William Stafford September 2009 Description of Application GA21 and Bt11xGA21 transgenic maize are genetically modified maize events. The Bt11xGA21 stacked maize was produced by the conventional breeding of individual GA21 and Bt11 transgenic events. GA21 maize produces a modified maize 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase enzyme (mEPSPS) that confers […]