Safe
All biotech crops currently approved for commercialisation world-wide have been thoroughly assessed by scientific and regulatory authorities throughout the world for food, feed and environmental safety according to internationally agreed guidelines and principles. They have been found to be as wholesome, nutritious and safe as conventional crops and foods.

Biotech crops are amongst the most extensively tested, well characterised and regulated food and fiber products developed.

Biodiversity
Currently commercialised biotechnology crops do not represent any greater risk to non-target organisms than conventional crops. Using appropriate management practices, biotech crops may help preserve or even increase agricultural biodiversity.

A large number of scientific studies have been carried out, both for commercial approvals and in the context of independent research, to determine whether biotech crops, in particular insect resistant or herbicide tolerant varieties, pose a risk to non-target organisms and agricultural biodiversity under real use conditions.

This work has shown that commercially available insect resistant crops (for example Bt corn or cotton) do not threaten non-target and beneficial organisms, including Monarchs and other butterfly species.

The biotech crops currently on the market have been proven to be as environmentally safe as the conventional crops from which they were derived and bring about no competitive advantage for weeds or non-biotech crops. Future generation crops will receive the same rigorous assessment to ensure no negative impacts on health or the environment.

Scale neutral
Biotechnology brings significant financial, social and environmental benefits to growers in the developing world and can make an essential contribution to resolving certain of the food and agriculture issues faced in these regions.

Since the first seeds went into the ground in 1996, biotech crops have been grown on a total area of 385 million hectares (15 times the total land area of the UK) by more than 10 million farmers in 20 countries.

Today, 90% of farmers planting biotech crops are resource poor, small-holder farmers in the developing world. Annual increases in adoption rates in developing countries have averaged 30% in recent years, outpacing industrialized country farmers by a margin of 2 to 1. These farmers choose to plant biotech crops because of the significant economic, environmental and social benefits they bring. With biotech cotton for example, yield increases of 30-60% compared to the non-biotech varieties have been observed in developing countries, allowing an estimated 1 million subsistence farmers to move to generate cash and increase their disposable income by an average of 50%.

The next decade is expected to yield a new generation of products that will offer additional benefits to farmers, consumers and the environment.

Highlights of 10 years of biotechnology in South Africa

1.     Pre 1994 SAGENE established (handled applications)

Monsanto’s biotech history in South Africa began in 1993, when Delta and Pine Land applied for permission to bring Bollgard foundation seed into South Africa for selection and bulking. When Monsanto applied for the first trials, the South Africa Department of Agriculture turned to a group called SAGENE (South Africa Gene Experimentation) to conduct scientific risk assessment and to establish field containment requirements.

SAGENE had been formed in the late 1970s by university and private research institutions that had begun doing microbial-level biotechnology work, and had already developed guidelines patterned after those in the United Kingdom.

• South Africa was one of the first developing countries to commercially approve transgenic crops.
• South African Government has developed a plan and is providing funding to promote the Research, development and financing of biotechnology. Biotechnology Strategy for South Africa by the Department of Science and Technology.
• To date four BRIC’s (Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centre’s) have been established - Biopad, PlantBio, LifeLab and Cape Biotech.
• Other than China South Africa has more commercial and import approvals than any other developing country.
• South Africa is regarded as the African leader in terms of Regulating Biotechnology and many other countries use our legislation as they develop their biosafety frameworks. E.g. Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique.
• South African Universities and Institutions in South Africa are involved in basic biotech research since 1987 and have high regard around the world and have received awards in this regard. E.g. Professor Jennifer Thomson at the University of Cape Town.
• Development efforts in places like the Makhathini Flats has been recognised around the world and been the place for visiting journalists and country government officials to see first hand what a difference biotech makes to small scale farmers.
• Africa has gone ahead to establish similar bodies in other African countries.e.g. Kenya and Uganda.
• South African farmers have responded to the new technology and adoption appears to be doubling every year. Currently >85% of all cotton planted in South Africa is transgenic, 20% of the maize and an estimated 40% of the soybeans.
• South African scientists have shown great innovation and developed proof of concept and phase I and II research development on Streak resistance, drought tolerance and Diplodia resistance in maize.