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South Africa: Strong Biosafety Framework Needed – Minister Pandor |
| Source: |
www.sanews.gov.za |
| Source Date: |
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 |
| Focus: |
ICT for MDGs
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| Country: |
South Africa |
| Created: |
Nov 18, 2014 |
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Minister Pandor cautioned that the engagement should not only be about getting society discussing biosafety, but should also permit society to make representations to the regulators on specific GMOs.
“The public has a very broad range of interests, and the engagement process must allow for these different interests, different perspectives, and different values,” she said.
She said South Africa imports, uses, and exports GMOs.
“We have more than 2.9 million hectares under GM crops – 86% of our maize, 92% of our soybean, and all of our cotton. Small and large farmers benefit. We are the 8th largest adopter of GM crops in the world. We not only apply biotechnology to crops but also in developing vaccines and drugs to help mitigate the disease burden we face,” the Minister said.
At the same time South Africa is the third most biodiverse country in the world.
“We guard and protect our biodiversity. We will not permit GMOs to threaten this biodiversity. Biodiversity is fundamental to our future sustainability.
“We are an emerging economy, and we want our economy to grow sustainably, and we want everyone to benefit.”
South Africa’s biosafety framework - the Genetically Modified Organisms Act – was developed 16 years ago.
The Act mandates a decision-making body - the Executive Council, which currently comprises five national government departments, plus the chair of the scientific advisory committee.
The Act also mandates a process based on scientific principles – the Council receives a recommendation from the scientific advisory committee, but critically allows for strategic national issues to be considered.
The Department of Environmental Affairs, for example, has the authority to require an environmental impact assessment should it consider it necessary.
The Department of Trade and Industry considers trade and industrial development issues, the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department the strategic value to agriculture, the Department of Health the alignment to health objectives.
ISBGMO is a biennial international meeting organised under the auspices of the International Society of the Biosafety Research (ISBR).
Its main goal is to advance the standing of the biosafety research around the world and shape the ways in which GM technology is applied and regulated.
Organised under the theme “Advancing Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to Address Biosafety in a Global Society,” it was the first time the symposium was held in Africa.
Approximately 450 delegates, drawn from academics, technology developers, regulatory authorities, non-governmental organisations and other credible stakeholders involved in all aspects of biosafety and from over 50 countries attended the symposium.
According to the organisers, the hosting of the conference in South Africa was important in view of the significant progress and experience within the realm of biosafety of GMOs and instruments supporting these efforts.
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South Africa: Strong Biosafety Framework Needed – Minister Pandor Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor says a strong biosafety framework is needed in the safety of Genetically Modified Organisms GMOs “In biosafety you are looking not only at potential environmental impact but also at the impact on human and animal health,” the Minister said Speaking at the 13th International Symposium on the Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms ISBGMO13 in Cape Town on Monday Minister Pandor said the public should be engaged in the process of establishing the biosafety framework
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