Original blog written by Dr. Stephen Greenberg, a senior researcher at the African Centre for Biodiversity. Reposted by Becca Fogel South Africa’s smallholder farmer support policy was meant to support marginalized producers, but has been captured under the neoliberal National Development Plan (NDP). The Agricultural […]
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Failure of Monsanto’s drought tolerant maize pushed on Africa – confirmed in US
Sabrina Masinjila is the outreach and advocacy officer with the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), based in Tanzania. Anne Maina is the coordinator for the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition (KBioC). Reposted by Becca Fogel. A recent USDA report has confirmed that Monsanto’s drought-tolerant maize is not nearly […]
Objection against general release of three 2,4-D GM maize varieties
Originally posted on the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACBio) website. Read the full objection report here. Re-posted by Rebecca Fogel In April 2019, the African Centre for Biodiversity (ACBio) published an objection to the release of three GM maize varieties and their pesticides — “the Agent Orange war chemical 2,4-D, as well as glyphosate […]
South Africa’s new seed and PVP Acts undermine farmers’ rights and entrench corporate capture, control and domination
Original Press Release from the African Centre for Biodiversity The Plant Improvement Act (PIA) and the Plant Breeder’s Rights Act (PBR) were approved by the South African Parliament in October 2018, and were ratified this past March by President Ramaphosa, reinforcing traditions of “historically unequal seed, agricultural and food systems, and strengthens the power of […]
Mark Lynas slammed for exploiting African farmers’ images to promote GMOs
Mark Lynas, a visiting fellow at Cornell’s Office of International Programs at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and a known pro-GM propagandist with the Cornell Alliance for Science, is under fire for non-consensual usage of images of African farmers and their crops. Dr Eugenio Tisselli – an IT specialist – and Dr Angelika […]
‘Plant the Seed’ music video by Taina Asili
Plant the Seed, a 10-minute music video produced by singer, filmmaker, and activist Taína Asili from Albany, NY, was just released in February 2019. Plant the Seed is inspired by the the work of black food justice farmer and educator Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm. Soul Fire Farm aims to uplift farmers of color […]
A decisive stance: Tanzania discontinues Gates/Monsanto’s GM trials in the country
In November 2018, Tanzania set a precedent for how genetic modification (GM) is approached in the country. Mathew Mtigumwe, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, passed an order for the cessation of all ongoing GM trials in the country which are under the supervision of the Water Efficient Maize for […]
Bt Cotton No Aid to Textiles Sector but a Trapdoor for Unsafe Food
Summarized by Rebecca Fogel, CAGJ Intern In this article Anne Maina, national coordinator of the Kenya Biodiversity Coalition (KBioC), sounds the alarm about the introduction of Bt cotton in Kenya. (CAGJ leaders met with Anne and KBioC when they visited Kenya in 2009, and again in Senegal this past November.) Over the past few months, […]
Africa Group captured by colonial medicine, agribusiness and US military interests on gene drives at UN Biodiversity Conference
By: Mariam Mayet, Lim Li Ching and Eva Sirinathsinghji Original article: https://acbio.org.za/en/africa-group-captured-colonial-medicine-agribusiness-and-us-military-interests-gene-drives-un Reposted by: Becca Fogel At the recent UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the African Group – the regional negotiating body representing African countries – blocked a proposal to temporarily halt the release of gene-drive mosquitoes, which are being promoted by the Gates Foundation as an […]
Corporate profit from South Africa’s smallholder farmers support programs
The African Centre for Biodiversity recently examined South Africa’s smallholder support programs. These funds are supposed to serve 300,000 smallholder farmers in the country and enhance their ability to feed themselves and their communities. Their report,“Input supply in South Africa’s smallholder farmer support programmes: A tale of neo-apartheid plans, dodgy dealings and corporate capture” shows […]
