Seeds are one of the most remarkable miracles, where life bursts forth from the tiniest dormant organism. Humans have spent generations caring, saving and sharing seeds to ensure that there is enough diversity for both themselves and the natural world on which they depend. However, today the practice of sharing and swapping seeds is increasingly becoming illegal. Recent seed … [Read more...]
More poisoning of South Africa’s staple food approved
The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) is extremely alarmed to learn that three genetically modified maize varieties developed by Corteva (new name of the Dow-DuPont merged entity) to withstand the application of the dangerous 2,4-D herbicide have been approved for general release by the Executive Council: GMO Act. This poses a grave threat to the health of food consumers, … [Read more...]
More poisoning on the way for South Africa’s maize
The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) is extremely concerned about impending approvals by the South African government in regard to three new genetically modified (GM) maize varieties designed to withstand the extremely toxic herbicide, 2,4-D. 2,4-D is one of the active ingredients of the infamous war chemical Agent Orange. The ACB has engaged with regulators over … [Read more...]
War Chemical 2,4 D GM maize: coming to our plates soon
The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) has published a briefing paper titled, ‘South Africa and 2,4 D GM maize: Biosafety and Socio-economic risks’, exposing ongoing risky technological developments with South Africa’s staple food – maize. It exposes that plans are underfoot to commercially grow genetically modified (GM) maize resistant to the war chemical, 2, D (event … [Read more...]
SA targeted for testing of risky new gene silencing technology
The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) has lodged an objection against Pioneer Hi-Bred’s application for field trials of RNAi /gene silencing (DP-566113-9) GM maize, since the risks to the health of the environment and humans is, as yet, unknown. Just as most people were going on holiday, on 21 December 2018, Pioneer Hi-Bred advertised in the Citizen newspaper its … [Read more...]
SA government rejects new triple-stacked GM maize
The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) welcomes the decision of the South African biosafety authorities, rejecting Monsanto’s application for the commercial release of its GM drought tolerant triple stacked maize: MON 87460 x MON 89034 x NK 603. At its meeting on the 2nd October 2018, the Executive Council: GMO Act, refused to authorize the GM maize for commercial growing … [Read more...]
GM maize most probably toxic to animals over the long term
When German farmer Gottfried Glöckner began feeding his cows on GM Bt176 maize in 1998, he noticed strange symptoms appearing in the animals. They included partial paralysis (paresis), accompanied by severe fatigue and problems in the kidneys and mucous membranes, followed by death in 10% of cases. Initially the culprit was thought to be a bacterial or viral disease. … [Read more...]
South Africa maize prices scale new peaks as drought bites
South African maize prices maintained their record run into 2016, scaling historic highs on Monday amid growing drought concerns and rand weakness. The March contract for white maize added almost 2.6 percent to a new record of 4,781 rand ($307) a tonne while the same contract for the yellow variety climbed 1.8 percent to 3,677 rand a tonne. Prices for white maize, the … [Read more...]
Monsanto to face tribunal for ecocide and crimes against humanity
Last week, dozens of farming, sustainable food, and environmental justice groups announced they would bring insidious agrochemical giant and food-experimenter, Monsanto, to trial before The Hague for charges of ecocide and crimes against humanity and nature. The tribunal will commence in The Hague, Netherlands, appropriately, on World Food Day, which falls on October 16th of … [Read more...]
SA only country allowing GM staple food
South Africa is the only country in the world that has allowed its staple foods to be genetically modified (GM). Forty-four percent of the country’s maize is grown in the Free State. The mielie plants that cover the fields with a golden and green blanket may look the same as it always has but now it is very different. Since 1998, it has been tampered with by a process called … [Read more...]
Southern African leaders meet as region faces food crisis
The leaders of 15 southern African countries gathered last week for an annual summit as the region grapples with serious food shortages that have left a record number of people needing aid. A toxic mix of erratic rains, abnormally high temperatures and floods have wreaked havoc on farming, writing off the bulk of this year’s crop. An estimated 27.4-million people out of … [Read more...]
GM maize transgenes penetrate small farmers’ seed supplies
A first study of its kind has found that GM maize transgenes have penetrated the informal seed supplies of smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The study screened for transgenes in external fields, home gardens and local household seed holdings in a village where GM insect-resistant maize had been previously grown from 2001–2008 and also analysed the seed … [Read more...]
Can Bt maize improve South African smallholder agriculture?
Maize is the major staple crop in many parts of Africa. Bt maize is the only commercialised genetically modified (GM) food crop in the continent and has been cultivated in South Africa since 2001 through public and private programmes. Bt maize produces insecticidal proteins that provide resistance to the African maize stem borer (Busseola fusca) and the Chilo borer (Chilo … [Read more...]
