Latest Resources
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 […]
3 June 2008
Resist Bayer Cropscience’s GM Cotton Trials in SA
GMOs Contribute Towards Food Crisis Read objection here.
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.
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 […]
13 February 2008
South Africa’s Biofuels Strategy: greenwashing agribusiness interests
The impetus for the establishment of a biofuels industry in South Africa also came from industry lobbyists under the banner of the Southern African Biofuels Association (SABA). Consequently, the South African government published a feasibility report and a draft Biofuels Industrial Strategy in 2006, which proposed the establishment of a mandatory bioethanol target of 8% […]
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 […]