South Africa - Overview of the Impact of Plant Biotech

South African farmers grow more than 1.2 million acres (500,000 hectares) of genetically modified (GM) corn, soybeans and cotton. Plantings of biotechnology in Africa have significantly increased each year. Farmers have increased their incomes by US$56 million and reduced pesticide applications by 330,000 pounds (150,000 kg) between commercial-scale introduction in 1997 and 2004. Small resource-poor farmers from the Makhatini Flats region of KwaZulu Natal — many with less than 2.5 acres (1 hectare) of land — have been able to rapidly adopt GM cotton and enjoy the same benefits of genetic engineering of food and crops as farmers in developed countries.

http://www.monsanto.com/biotech-gmo/asp/videogallery.asp

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• biotechnology
• genetically
• modified
• food
• organisms
• monsanto
• South
• Africa

[sphinxart]

@charbonelle I AGREE. Monsanto have their claws in South Africa, they are in bed with government already where we cannot have natural seed banks that exceed R100 000 turnover per month (approx 8000 $). We will fight them, and educate people in permaculture.

[charbonelle]

Hybrid food sources are patented and "owned" by the patent-holders. AFRICANS ARE NOT NOR WILL THEY EVER BE "OWNERS" OF THIS TECHNOLOGY. MAKING THEM DEPENDENT IN PERPETUITY TO THE PATENT-CONTROLLERS. Many of these farmers cannot afford these seeds and will go into debt never being able to pay the principal. AFRICANS HAVE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE...PLZ DO NOT SELL YOUR CHILDREN INTO SLAVERY.