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In South Africa, Monsanto has through the past couple of years, committed itself to dialogue and transparency, respect for others' views and concerns, to sharing of information and knowledge, and to delivering real benefits to farmers and consumers. It also strived to contribute to sustainable development by bringing new products and technologies that were acceptable and suitable, to the local market.
Monsanto annually spends billions of rands gobally on research and development and all products are properly tested in laboratories as well as in extensive field trials under commercial conditions, before they are considered suitable for release.
 Our aim is to strengthen our current product portfolio by integrating chemical crop protection, seed, biotechnology and information technology capabilities in the marketplace as well as through new alliances and partnerships.
As a transnational company, Monsanto is governed by high ethics and wishes to share the benefits of modern technologies with Africa's food and fibre producers. Our biotech products are offered on the markets just as any other products are. Growers choose whether they wish to use these technologies or not, and global GM hectares grow each year
"Many people on the entire African continent, depend on agriculture and farming to provide for the basic nutritional needs of their families and communities. In the face of growing population, as well as health and environmental challenges, current farming methods are not meeting all the requirements for food security and economic growth. It is therefore important that South Africa embraces appropriate technologies and policies to transform its agricultural system, become more productive and profitable, as well as providing crops with better nutritional value. It is in this context that Monsanto views the use of biotechnology as an important option that offers hope and promise", Kobus Lindeque Lead, Monsanto Sub-Sahara Africa.
The introduction of biotechnology has been one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of the last decade, and in the agricultural sector most of the transgenic crops that are commercially available at present, incorporate the first generation of traits called "input traits". These provide agronomic advantages such as pest resistance, eg Bollgard cotton and Yieldgard maize, or herbicide tolerance, ie Roundup Ready soybean, maize and cotton. The second generation of traits, called "output traits" offer improved quality characteristics to the product and provide specific benefits to consumers, for example, vitamin A rice.
Farmers in South Africa are in the enviable position of being able to utilise these technologies if they choose to. The GMO Act in South Africa strictly regulates the approval and use of these crops and both commercial and small holder farmers have already realised the production benefits of these crops. At present, Bollgard cotton, Yieldgard maize as well as Roundup Ready soya, cotton and maize have been approved and are commercially available in the country.
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