Latest Resources
7 August 2009
South African GM grapevine trials to go ahead
The South African authorities have given the go-ahead to the Institute of wine biotechnology, based at the University of Stellenbosch, to conduct open-air field trials of grapevines genetically modified to resist fungal disease, despite the failure of fungal resistant grapevines in German trials seven years ago. Read more here.
15 May 2009
Africa’s Green Revolution rolls out the Gene Revolution
The ‘New Green Revolution in Africa’, touted since the 1990s, was given renewed impetus two and a half years ago, when the Rockefeller and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations launched the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Although AGRA itself does not incorporate genetically modified (GM) crops in its projects, the ominous presence […]
26 March 2009
Genes from Africa: the Colonisation of Human DNA
Indigenous people’s groups and NGOs have waged a long and bitter struggle against the Human Genome Diversity Project and similar efforts to collect the DNA of indigenous and other peoples without appropriate consent and sufficient safeguards against abuse. The Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP), the brainchild of Italian geneticist Luca Cavalli-Sforza, comprised of a group […]
28 January 2009
A Green Revolution for Africa: Disaster in the making
When world leaders hastily gathered at the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation’s (FAO) high level conference to respond to the global food crisis the three Rome based UN organizations (the FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural development and the World Food Programme) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in […]
12 September 2008
Sorghum trials permitted, 12 September 2008
AFRICAN HERITAGE CROPS THREATENED BY SOUTH AFRICA GMO DECISION An Appeal Board established by the Minister of Land Affairs and Agriculture has overturned a landmark decision by a South African GMO authority on 15 June 2006, to refuse the experimentation of sorghum, a prized African heritage crop. The Council for Scientific Industrial Research (CSIR), has […]
22 August 2008
Letter from McDonalds Restaurant re GM Potatoes
Allegedly, McDonald’s is committed to providing quality food to our customers and source our products and ingredients from the best suppliers locally and globally. In South Africa, their potatoes are sourced from McCain Foods and so we asked their Managing Director, Mr Owen Porteus, to provide us with full clarification on the use of GMO […]
13 May 2008
Geraniums Stop that Cough – Pelargonium Factsheet
Rural community of South Africa stands up against pelargonium-patents and biopiracy. The Alice community, living in the Eastern Cape area of South Africa, in close collaboration with the African Center for Biosafety and supported by the Berne Declaration (Switzerland), the Church Development Service (EED) and “Kein Patent auf Leben” (Germany), has challenged two European patents […]
5 March 2008
New GM Potato Book: Executive Summary
In 2001, the South African Agricultural Research Council (ARC) began conducting field trials with potatoes genetically modified to contain a Bt gene Cry1Ia1 (formerly BtCryV). This novel gene is intended to protect the plants and potato tubers from infestations of the Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella). This research is not home grown or ‘truly South […]
5 March 2008
GM potato rejected in year of potato
The UN General Assembly has declared 2008 to be the ‘international year of the potato’. Unbeknown to the public, the South Africa government has allowed the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), supported by USAID and Michigan State University, to experiment with GM potatoes. All though South Africans on average eat 29 kilograms of potatoes a year, […]
4 March 2008
GM Potatoes face import ban & rejection
GM potatoes rejected in Year of Potato GM potatoes face import bans and rejection The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2008 to be the ‘International Year of the Potato’ in celebration of the potato – one of the world’s best loved foods. Yet, South Africa seems hell bent on messing with the humble potato. […]