Latest Resources
14 April 2008
Independent Biosafety Evaluation: GE SAAVI MVA-C HIV Vaccine
The African Centre for Biosafety is a non-profit, activist NGO based in South Africa, focussing on biopolitics, including inter alia, biosafety, biopiracy, biofuels and challenging industrial agriculture models in Africa and the commodification of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. Read here.
11 February 2008
ACB’s Comments on Liability & Redress in preparation of the Adhoc Open Ended meeting i...
The African Centre for Biosafety is grateful to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) for the opportunity to make these written comments, and later this month, (29th February 2008), oral submissions, with respect to the South African government’s draft operational text on liability and redress in the context of the Cartagena Protocol on […]
3 February 2008
Objection to the Application made by Syngenta SA for Stacked GM Maize Permit
The African Centre for Biosafety submits these scientific objections in respect of he application for commodity import by Syngenta of its GM maize, MIR604xGA21. We have over the years made several submissions on various legal aspects concerning GM applications in South Africa and will not repeat these here. In addition, we note that the de […]
20 November 2007
Objection to VAXXITEK + IBD chicken vaccine
The application is for a genetically modified virus (GMO) to be used as a vaccine for chickens. Vaxxitek HVT + IBD is a live vaccine based on the turkey Herpesvirus (HVT) expressing the VP2 transgene from the Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV). The vaccine is indicated for the active immunisation of chickens to help prevent […]
15 October 2007
Objection to Monsanto’s GM Cotton Cry 1 Ac and Cry 2 Ab
Objection to Monsanto’s GM Cotton Cry 1 Ac and Cry 2 Ab Read more.
12 October 2007
The Appeal by ARC-IIC against the DOA’s refusal for a trial release of GM Cassava
The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Institute for Industrial Crops (IIC) submitted an application to the Directorate of Genetic Resources (DGR) within the Department of Agriculture (DOA) in 2006 for a trial release of genetically modified cassava. The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) submitted its objections to the proposed trial release. On the 19th March 2007 […]
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 […]
4 September 2007
ARC’s Appeal Against GM Cassava Ruling
A year ago, the African Centre for Biosafety and international NGO, GRAIN teamed up to oppose an application by the Agriculture Research Council (ARC) to conduct GM cassava field trials in South Africa. We put together comprehensive written objections to the application, strongly supported by a wide range of South African and international groups and […]
3 September 2007
Objections on Syngenta GM Maize GA21 and Bt11 x GA21
The African Centre for Biosafety has in the past (September 2004) submitted substantial objections to an application by Syngenta Seed Company in respect of an application for field trials involving its GM maize, GA21 (www.biosafetyafrica.net). These objections are already on record with the office of the Registrar: Genetically Modified Organisms Act, and ask that these […]
14 August 2007
ACB’s Comments on Kenya’s June 2007 Biosafety Bill, August 2007
Kenya’s Biosafety Bill is drafted as an enabling statute and will require the promulgation of numerous regulations in order to bring it into effect. It’s fundamental nature is one of a lenient permitting system as opposed to a biosafety regime intention regulating genetically modified organisms within a context of caution. Read here.