Briefing Paper: Gene Drive Organisms: What Africa Should Know About Actors, Motives and Threats to Biodiversity and Food Systems

This paper explains the serious risks and complexities that gene drive organisms pose to human health, the environment and society, particularly in the African context. […]

Genome Edited Plants Need Stringent Regulation

There are significant differences in methods of production, traits and risks of genome edited plants in comparison to those derived from conventional breeding, necessitating strict regulation of the former. […]

Compelling Link Between Glyphosate-based Herbicides and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Meta-analysis finds compelling evidence that people with high exposures to glyphosate-based herbicides have an increased risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma. […]

Increasing Evidence of Detrimental Effects of Glyphosate-based Herbicides on Rats

Recent research found that exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides caused reproductive and developmental effects in rats, at ’safe’ dose levels. In other work, ‘generational toxicology’ of glyphosate was demonstrated; descendants of exposed rats developed prostate, kidney and ovarian diseases, obesity and birth abnormalities. […]

Oxitec’s failed GM mosquito releases worldwide – Forewarnings for Africa and the Target Malaria project

This briefing details the serious concerns arising from the releases of GM mosquitoes around the world, with forewarnings for proposed GM mosquito releases in Africa. […]

Regulation of Plants Developed by New Genetic Modification Techniques

Existing regulatory frameworks for GMOs cover new GM techniques (nGMs) to varying degrees. Whether nGM applications fall under biosafety frameworks is critical for the scope and the quality of risk assessment. An international public registry listing all biotechnology products commercially used in agriculture is needed for transparency of the regulatory status of individual nGM products. […]

A Sustainable, Equitable Future for Food Requires a Global Transformative Process

The SDG targets for food security and better nutrition for all can be met using more sustainable production systems, and more equitable distribution of food and income between and within countries. […]

The Implications of Gene Drives on Human Rights

Gene drives will have impacts on ecosystems and human rights. This paper calls for States to observe their obligations in the context of human rights, biodiversity and biosafety, including by putting in place a global moratorium on gene drive releases. […]

Call for Food Sovereignty and Feminist Movements in Africa to Join Forces

On International Women’s Day, an urgent call has been made for African food sovereignty movements to connect with radical feminist movements to rebuild local food and seed systems, based on smallholder women farmers’ key role in agriculture. […]

Fate of GM food-derived DNA in the Human Body

DNA derived from GM food in the human body can be found in the blood and tissues of humans and animals, and plant-food-miRNAs can survive digestion, enter the body and affect gene expression patterns in different organs. […]