Latest Resources
10 August 2010
Spoiling the Fruit of the Vine
South African GM Grapevine field trials to go ahead Press release: African Centre for Biosafety and Earthlife Africa eThekwini7 August 2009 South African authorities have given the go-ahead for open-air field trials of grapevines genetically modified (GM) to resist fungal disease, despite the failure of fungal resistant grapevines in German trials several years ago. The […]
13 July 2010
ACB condemnation for Comesa’s draconian free trade policy on GMOs
“The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) has been handed a document of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) titled ‘Draft Policy Statements and Guidelines for commercial plantings of GMOs, Trade in GMOs and Emergency Food aid with GMO content.” The Policy intends to undermine and displace more than a decade’s worth of […]
6 July 2010
Call on South Africans to Back Labelling of GM Foods
South Africa’s food shelves are stocked with hundreds of products that contain Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). These are organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. The list includes: South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act (CPA) creates an opportunity for the mandatory labelling of foodstuffs which contain or are Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). […]
18 June 2010
The race to own Africa’s sorghum genes!
The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) today published a third research paper in its ‘Sorghum Series’ titled, ‘The Sorghum Gene Grab.’ The hunt for agrofuel and drought-tolerant crops has propelled a huge commercial interest in sorghum, including a spate of patent claims over different components of the sorghum genome. Patent claims have been lodged by […]
18 June 2010
The Sorghum Gene Grab
A 16-page booklet by Edward Hammond. Read here. View the press release here.
4 May 2010
MINISTER DEFIES GM BODY AS GM CASSAVA FIELD TRIALS GO AHEAD IN SA
The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) condemns the decision by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to allow GM cassava field trials to go ahead in South Africa. This despite SA’s GMO regulatory body rejecting such trials more than three years ago. The field trials involve cassava genetically modified to control starch content. On […]
26 April 2010
Major breakthrough in the fight against biopiracy: Pelargonium patents
German pharmaceutical Schwabe announces withdrawal of 5 pelargonium patents The African Centre for Biosafety (ACB), the Berne Declaration (BD) and the Church Development Service (EED) welcome the announcement by Schwabe today that it will not pursue five pelargonium related patents granted to it by the European Patent Office EPO). Mariam Mayet, African Center for Biosafety […]
23 April 2010
Media Advisory by EED, African Centre for Biosafety and the Berne Declaration
Pelargonium: EPO publishes grounds for Schwabe patent revocation (24.04.2010) The written decision setting out the grounds for the revocation of the Schwabe Pharmaceuticals Pelargonium Patent (EP02777223), has been published by the European Patent Office. As expected, the decision fully confirms the arguments presented by the Opponents during the hearing. The EPA reiterates its view that […]
21 April 2010
Force-feeding South Africans: Monsanto’s Smartstax 8 gene GM maize coming to a store near you!
Monsanto has made an application to the South African GMO authorities for permission to import Smartstax maize, one of the most controversial and risky GMOs ever produced for commercial use. The ACB recently published a report featuring Smartstax titled ‘The stacked gene revolution: A biosafety nightmare’. We pointed out that while the majority of commercially […]
2 February 2010
Ground-breaking’ victory for community against drug giant
From the Cape Times Newspaper – January 28, 2010 Edition 1, a small Eastern Cape community are elated after taking on a German pharmaceutical giant over a patent to produce extracts from two local plant species – and winning. “This is the first time that a patent is challenged successfully by Africans. It ends Schwabe’s […]