USDA: South Africa agricultural biotechnology 2014

South Africa possesses a highly advanced commercial agricultural industry based inter alia on first-generation biotechnologies and effective plant breeding capabilities. South Africa has been involved with biotechnology research and development for over 30 years and will continue to be the biotechnology leader on the Africa continent.

The production area of GE crops in South Africa was unchanged in 2013, at the record level of 2.9 million hectares, making South Africa the eighth largest producer of GE crops in the world and by far the largest in Africa. GE corn plantings represent 83 percent of total biotechnology plantings in South Africa, followed by GE soybeans (approximately 17 percent) and GE cotton (less than one percent). Almost 87 percent of corn plantings, 92 percent of soybean plantings and all cotton plantings in South Africa are grown from GE seeds. All of the GE events that are currently commercially produced in South Africa were developed in the United States. However, due to the fact that that the United States has approved corn events that are not yet approved in South Africa, United States commercial corn cannot be exported to South Africa. 

 

South Africa has a National Biotechnology Strategy in place. This strategy is a policy framework, which aims at creating incentives for the biotechnology research and facilitates the adoption of biotechnology. The strategy also guarantees a stringent biosafety regulatory system, which ensures that biotechnology is utilized in a manner that causes minimum disruption to the environment, while addressing South Africa’s sustainable development goals and imperatives. The Genetically Modified Organisms Act of 1997 (GMO Act), is the regulating framework that enables authorities to conduct scientifically-based, case-by-case assessment of the potential risks that may arise from any activity involving a particular GE product. The GMO Act also requires applicants to notify the public of a proposed release of GE products prior to the application for a permit of such a release. Apart from the GMO Act, biotechnology is also regulated through environmental and health related legislation.