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AfricaBio - In African Union

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Created on Friday, 21 December 2012 10:35

 

AfricaBio - In African Union.pdf

The provision of safe, healthy and adequate food is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, not to mention the effects of climate change on agriculture. Africa can harness the growing science of agricultural biotechnology to boost food security.


Agriculture is the backbone of economic development for most African countries. It accounts 25 to 30 per cent of their GDPs. More that 70 per cent of the continental population lives in rural areas and depends on agriculture for its livelihood. However, Africa has underperformed in agricultural productivity over the last three decades. For example, cereal yields have stagnated at around 1 ton per hectare compared to averages of 2.5 – 3 tons per hectare in Asia.

AfricaBio - In African Union.pdf

 

GMO Insight Volume 2

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Created on Thursday, 15 November 2012 05:51

GMO Insight Volume 2.pdf

Gauteng Premier opens international biotechnology conference in Johannesburg

Gauteng Premier, Nomvula Mokonyane recently opened the 9th Agricultural biotechnology international conference (ABIC 2011) at the Sandton Convention Center in Johannesburg. The Conference was held at the convention center from 6 - 9 September 2011. In her opening remarks she said biotechnology was a transformative technology entrenched in sustainable development to create better living conditions, while contributing to environment conservation.

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GMO Insight July Proof

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Created on Monday, 02 July 2012 05:13

GMO Insight July proof.pdf

African Biosafety Regulators urged to strengthen links

NEPAD Agency African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE), in collaboration with AfricaBio, hosted a group of regulators and journalists, from 12 African countries in Pretoria, South Africa, from 10 - 18 May 2012.

The event was attended by biosafety regulators from Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia and host country South Africa.


In his opening and welcome speech to the regulators, Mr Samuel Timpo from African Biosafety Network of Expertise(ABNE) stated that in the efforts to harmonize national biosafety regulations across Africa, the links between national regulatory authorities and key stakeholders must be strengthened.


Biosafety laws were critical for every functional regulatory system but most African countries that signed up to the Cartagena Protocol had not established regulatory systems. The absence of biosafety regulations, limited capacity and limited access to accurate information, have been identified as the critical limitations to the growth of biotechnology said experts at the event.


This visit was able to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experience amongst regulators from countries with new and emerging biosafety systems and countries such as South Africa that has a developed biosafety system.

GMO Insight July proof.pdf

GMO Insight

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Created on Thursday, 15 November 2012 05:38

GMO Insight Volume 2.pdf

GIVE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A CHANCE!

Africa has not benefitted from the advent of science and technology as the rest of the world, said Prof Gebisa Ejeta, recipient of the 2009 World Food Prize; and a national medal of honor from the President of Ethiopia.

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GMO Insight December 2011

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Created on Thursday, 01 December 2011 05:46

GMO Insight December 2011.pdf

AFRICABIO AND PARTNERS HOSTS SUCCESSFUL IRM WORKSHOP

An effective and functional African agricultural biotech system requires customized and readily accessible Insect Resistant Management (IRM) resources and technical backstopping for the continent's stakeholders. This was one of the conclusions that wrapped-up a two-day Training of the trainers(TOT) workshop on insect resistance management (IRM) and stewardship practices held in Pretoria, South Africa from 27 to 28 Octobe, 2011.

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GMO Insight Proof 2

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Created on Thursday, 15 November 2012 05:26

GMO Insight Proof 2.pdf

Ghana enact Biosafety Law

The Biosafety Act has receiv ed Presidential Assent, thus becoming a complete law . The Law, from the Biosafety Act, 831, 2011 will enable Ghana to allow the application of biotechnology in food crop production involving Genetically Modified Organisms(GMOs) to enter food production. It will also ensure an adequate level of production in the field of safe development tr ansfer , handling and use of GMOs that are pharmaceuticals for human use, and which are the subject of an y other enactment


AfricaBio addresses parliamentary portfolio on Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

On 6 March 2012, the P arliamentary P ortfolio Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries heard in depth presentations on the benefits of genetically modified crops and how this technology can benefit small scale farmers. The chairperson of the portfolio committee, Mr Lulu Johnson MP (ANC) also invited members of the portfolio committees of science and technology , en vironmental affairs and land and en vironmental affairs.


GM CROPS BENEFIT SMALLHOLDER FARMERS

Genetically modified crops ha v e  the potential tochange the crop production landscape for smallholder farmers in developing countries and increase yields, says Professor Klaus Ammann, emeritus professor, University of Bern, Switzerland. Prof Ammann, world renowned agricultur al biotechnology scientist, was the keynote speaker at an AfricaBio biotechnology smallholder farmers' information day at Fun Valley, Olifantsvlei, near Soweto. The event was sponsored by the Gauteng Pro Department of Agriculture and rural development and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) more than 60 smallholder farmers attended.

GMO Insight Proof 2.pdf

Biotech Crops in Africa

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Created on Tuesday, 18 September 2012 22:03

Biotech Crops in Africa - The Final Frontier - 2009

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  1. Genetically Modified Organisms