Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 8/10/2006

**GAIN Report Number:** SF6029

SF0000

**South Africa, Republic of**

**Biotechnology**

**Pretoria\'s Biotechnology annual with minor corrections**

**2006**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Scott Reynolds

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Rachel Bickford

**Report Highlights:**

Pretoria's biotech report resubmitted with a few corrections and
updates.

South African farmers plant genetically modified (GM) corn, cotton and
soybeans. South Africa's (SA) acreage of GM crops rose to approximately
92 % of South Africa's cotton, 29% of corn, and 59% of soybeans.

Clearly GM products have a wide appeal with South African Farmers. They
appreciate that GM crops use fewer inputs and have higher yields, and
are easier to manage than traditional varieties.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Pretoria \[SF1\]

\[SF\]

###### TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3

BIOTECHNOLOGY TRADE AND PRODUCTION 4

BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICY 6

MARKETING 11

CAPACITY BUILDING AND OUTREACH 13

REFERENCE MATERIALS 17

APPENDIX A. TABLE OF APPROVED BIOTECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS 19

**SECTION I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY**

The South African Government generally supports biotechnology:
transgenic varieties of cotton, corn and soy are approved for commercial
planting and account for approximately 92 % of South Africa's cotton,
29% of corn, and 59% of soybeans.

U.S. agricultural interests in South Africa are wide-ranging and
diverse. Wheat is the main U.S. export, followed by many other bulk,
intermediate and consumer ready products. Those affected by
biotechnology issues are corn, soybeans and seeds (corn, cotton and
soybeans). Food aid passage through South Africa to other destinations
can also be affected by South Africa's GMO policies.

South African biotechnology regulatory matters are discussed and decided
by an Executive Council with representatives from eight departments. An
Advisory Committee consisting of experts from around the nation carry
out risk analysis on biotech products and give their recommendations to
the Council for the final approval of any biotech product. The advisory
committee and the Council do not meet frequently and so decisions are
often delayed. Still, the regulatory structure in general is very
progressive and several genetic transformation events have received
approval for commercial planting. However, recently there have been some
public objections from anti-GM lobby groups. These groups are demanding
unscientific information from the GMO Registrar's office of the National
Department of Agriculture and have effectively slowed the process for
new approvals.

South Africa can play a vital role as other countries in Africa develop
biotechnology policies because it has the most resources, such as
scientific expertise and financial support, as well as a progressive
regulatory system. Without the South African Government's leadership
role in this region, the progress in agricultural biotechnology, or for
that matter any technology, can be stifled by anti-technology groups.

**SECTION II. BIOTECHNOLOGY TRADE AND PRODUCTION**

***South Africa's commercial production of GM crops***

South African farmers plant genetically modified (GM) corn, cotton and
soybeans. According to the International Service for the Acquisition of
Agri-Biotech Application (ISAAA), South Africa's (SA) acreage of GM
crops rose to 500,000 hectares in 2005[^1], placing the country third
among the top fifteen growers of GM varieties. The plantings for 2006
are expected to be between 700,000 and 1-million hectares.

Industry analysts estimate that cotton has seen the highest rate of
adoption with 92% of the local crop now GM. The SA industry was also
quick to adopt new GM cotton seed with stacked traits of insect
resistance and herbicide tolerance that were approved in September 2005.
Stacked varieties constituted 40% of cotton planted last year, while
varieties with only insect resistance constituted 39% and those with
herbicide tolerance 13%.

GM corn increased from 14.6% of total maize planted in 2005 to 29.4% in
2006. Of this 72% was corn with insect resistance with herbicide
tolerant maize making up the remainder. Actual hectares planted
increased by 11% to 455,287 ha despite the total maize area decreasing
by 45%. White GM maize increased dramatically from 8.6% in 2005 to 28.8%
in 2006, while yellow GM maize area planted grew from 24% to 30.5%.

About 59% of the local soy bean crop is GM[^2].

A South African product manager for a U.S. GM company in SA reports that
about 8,000 commercial and about 2.4 million subsistence farmers in
South Africa currently plant GM corn and will continue to do so.[^3]

***GM crops under development in SA***

SA's Biotech industry is still embryonic. With about 50 core biotech
companies, none of them listed, the country is not yet a real rival to
other developing markets such as India. "Development has been random and
crosses many disciplines," says Mark Fyvie, CEO of Cape Biotech, a
government-funded body that promotes biotech development. "Most
companies could be described as medium tech and product-oriented, rather
than cutting-edge technology companies."

He goes on to say that SA is developing pockets of excellence. For
example, SA has a unique and rich biodiversity, making bio-prospecting
one area in which SA can compete.[^4]

There are no crops under development in South Africa that will be on the
market in the coming year. South African scientists in both the private
and public sectors are working on GM products designed to meet Southern
African market demands. They are researching new varieties of GM corn,
melon, millet, lupins, soybeans, strawberries, sugar cane, cotton,
apples, tomatoes, sorghum, wheat, potatoes and grapes.

***Bio-Prospecting Partnership*** Cape Biotech is investigating a
possible bio-prospecting partnership that would enable South Africa,
Brazil and India to share each other's resources in order to capitalize
on their rich biodiversity.

Delegates from all three countries met in August 2005 and signed a
bio-prospecting memorandum of understanding. The collaboration will
rollout in three stages: sharing and learning, exchanging technologies
and technology transfer, and eventually shared facilities among the
three countries, but this will only be potentially possible once the
alignment of national policies has begun.[^5]

***Transgenic Sorghum*** In July 2006 South Africa's biotechnology
Executive Council turned down an application by the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to conduct laboratory and
greenhouse experiments with transgenic sorghum in South Africa. Recent
press coverage suggests that this decision may be reversed if the
researchers can demonstrate suitable containment. Denial of a permit
would make South Africa a less active partner in the collaboration
between CSIR and eight other African research organizations in a \$17
million project to develop a more nutritious, genetically engineered
sorghum.[^6]

Using genetic engineering and conventional plant breeding methods, the
scientists hoped to develop a more easily digestible strain of sorghum
with increased levels of vitamins A and E, iron, zinc, and essential
amino acids. Kenya-based Africa Harvest Biotech Foundational
International will continue to lead the research.

***GM crops that SA imports***

South Africa imports several GM crops/products from the United States.
Please see Appendix A for the complete list of approved varieties.

***Food Aid Policy***

South African policy makers feel that they don't need food aid, as they
are a surplus producer, and SA does not currently accept food aid
donations. In fact, SA donated corn to Zimbabwe in 2003 during that
country's famine.

However, U.S. food aid destined to Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia
and Zimbabwe ordinarily passes through the port of Durban, South Africa.
In order for the shipment to pass through South Africa, the GMO
Registrar's Office requires several measures:

-   Advance notification so that proper containment measures can be
    taken;

-   Letter from the recipient country stating that they accept the food
    aid consignment and that they know that it contains GMOs;

-   Milling near the port. Southern African Development Community (SADC)
    regulations state that if food aid has biotech content then it must
    be milled.

***GE Crops and the US Regulatory System***

South Africa does not commercially produce any biotechnology crops that
were developed outside of the United States at this time. Some in the
pipeline, namely the Bt potato, developed in a partnership between the
Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Michigan State University (MSU) and
USAID, and drought resistant soybeans could be planted commercially in
the next few years.

**SECTION III. BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICY**

The South African Government generally supports biotechnology and
encourages home-grown research. One way they support local GM research
is through three regional biotech innovation centers in KwaZulu-Natal,
Western Cape and Pretoria, Gauteng. The Department of Science and
Technology recently budgeted about \$20 million to these three centers
alone and a little over \$7 million to the Cape Biotech research
organization.

***GMO Act*** South African biotechnology policy is formulated under the
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Act of 1997, modified by the
Cabinet in 2005 in order to bring it in line with the Cartagena Protocol
on Biosafety. Environmental laws put into effect in 2004 have the
potential to make the GMO approval process slower and more involved.
Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology continues to support
biotech programs, local courts continue to uphold protection of business
confidential information in GMO applications, and the regional group New
Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is pursuing numerous
biotech projects, and plans to host its center of excellence for
Southern Africa in the Republic of South Africa.

Under the GMO Act, SA's Biotechnology Executive Council, responsible for
making regulatory decisions, is comprised of ten members: one
representative from eight government ministries (Agriculture (DoA),
Science & Technology, Health, Environmental Affairs & Tourism, Trade &
Industry, Labor, Water Affairs & Forestry, and the Department of Arts &
Culture), the chair of the Advisory Committee who provides scientific
and technical analysis of risk assessment data, and the GMO Registrar,
an official from DoA responsible for administering the Act.

***Proposed Amendments to the GMO Act*** The GMO act will be amended to
improve certain administrative aspects and to ensure compliance with the
Biosafety Protocol. The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Agriculture
met in January 2006 to discuss proposed changes to the GMO Act.
Lobbyists from industry, research institutions and environmental
organizations bombarded legislators with highly polarized arguments
including calls for tighter regulations. However the committee is only
seeking to make relatively technical amendments to the Act. The
Portfolio Committee is now considering the Amendment Bill, which will
then proceed through the various steps of approval before being tabled
in Parliament later this year.

Industry and research organizations are concerned that the GMO Act's
jurisdiction needs clarification because the Biodiversity Act and the
National Environmental Management Act claim authority over the GMO Act
on environmental issues; this could create two regulatory paths and
unnecessary duplication.

***GM Commodity Clearance process stalled*** In response to farmers'
complaints over low grain prices last year, the EC agreed to commission
a study by the department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on the potential
impact of the commodity clearance of GM imports on South Africa trade.
All current and new applications to the GMO Registrar's office for
commodity clearance approval of GM grain are pending the outcome of this
study. DTI's mandate is to ascertain the trade and price implications of
the importation of GM maize. The study was supposed to be completed in
March 2006 and government sources reportedly hope that it will be
completed before 2007[^7]. South African livestock producers hope the
study is done soon so that they can import cheaper feed.

***National Biodiversity Act*** This environmental legislation may have
a significant impact on the GMO approval process. The National
Biodiversity Act, which went into effect September 1, 2004, gives
significant powers to the Minister of Environmental Affairs & Tourism
(DEAT) on Biosafety issues. The law states, "If the Minister has reason
to believe that the release of a genetically modified organism into the
environment under a permit applied for in terms of the GMO Act, may pose
a threat to any indigenous species or the environment, no permit for
such release may be issued in terms of that Act unless an environmental
assessment has been conducted..." Under provisions of other legislation
on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) the GMO Act does not define
"environmental assessment" and in giving special powers to the Minister,
the provision does not appear to be consistent with the GMO Act (which
gives similar powers to the Executive Council on which DEAT is
represented). This inconsistency could create grounds for appeal of all
GMO regulatory decisions, effectively slowing down the GMO approval
process.

***National Biotechnology Strategy for South Africa*** This national
strategy, implemented in 2003, was designed to stimulate the growth of
biotech innovation in SA. The strategy will go a long way toward
removing the uncertainties that have existed in SA for more than ten
years, and which have delayed local and foreign investment in
biotechnology. The strategy identifies the need to develop at least
three Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centers (BRICs) to facilitate
commercialization and develop biotechnology companies in SA. An official
policy statement did not accompany the release of the Strategy document
on biotechnology and many key decision makers (particularly in
government) appear not to be completely aligned with the strategy.

***SA Agency for Science & Technology Advancement/SAASTA -- Public
Understanding of Biotechnology Program (PUB)*** Part of the national
strategy is the Public Understanding of Biotechnology Program. This
program (initiated in 2003) focuses primarily on youth. The overall aim
of the PUB program is to promote a clear understanding of the potential
of biotechnology and to ensure broad public awareness, dialogue and
debate on its current and future applications. PUB conducted a
comprehensive Biotechnology Survey. For more survey information please
read Section IV of this report.

***Biotechnology and the Region***

The South African Government aligned itself with fourteen other Southern
African nations to come up with a common regional biotechnology policy.
The fourteen SADC member states are Angola, Botswana, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia,
Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The
guidelines were developed in August 2003 at a Southern Africa
Development Community (SADC) meeting and cover areas such as policy
development and regulation of GM crops and GM food, the handling of food
aid, and measures to increase public awareness of biotechnology and
biosafety.

The guidelines assert that the region and its nations should develop
compatible policy and regulatory systems that are based on either the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, or the African Model Law on Biosafety.
The heads of member states also agreed to develop national biotechnology
policies and strategies, and to increase their efforts to establish
national biosafety regulatory systems. Member states were also urged to
commission studies on the implications of biotechnology for agriculture,
the environment, public health and socio-economic impact[^8].

SADC countries should emulate the regulatory approached pursed by
developing-country leaders such as China, Argentina, Brazil, India and
their regional leader, South Africa. These countries have realized the
importance of being part of the biotechnology revolution and have
invested in research and development, commercialized GM crop production
and have established regulations that seek to promote the technology
while minimizing risks to the environment.[^9]

Considering the pressing humanitarian needs, Africa cannot afford to be
embroiled in politicized debates over GM. Its position in international
negotiation forums such as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety should be
informed by domestic imperatives and aspirations to achieve food
security.

South Africa could play a leadership role as SADC's biotechnology policy
develops by steering member states toward scientific analysis.

***Field Testing***

South Africa does allow field-testing of GM crops. According to a recent
court ruling, the DoA must inform the public which crops are currently
undergoing field trials in SA but does not have to provide details about
where the trials are taking place.

During FY 2006, the DoA issued about 20 permits for field trials. Most
of these permits were for corn, with a few for soybeans, potato and
sugarcane. The DoA's Office of the GMO Registrar chose not to estimate
the time to commercialization at the time of this report.

***Stacked Events***

SA requires an additional approval for a plant that combines two already
approved traits, such as herbicide tolerance and insect resistance. This
requirement means that companies effectively need to start from the
beginning of the approval process for stacked events, even when the
individual traits have already been approved.

In October 2005 Monsanto received DoA approval to launch stacked-gene
cotton in South Africa. The seed combines an insecticide with a built-in
resistance to weed-killer. "Farmers were looking for both traits in the
same crop," said Wally Green, Monsanto spokesman, explaining why
Monsanto developed the stacked-gene cotton.[^10] The stacked-gene
variety was created using conventional breeding techniques in which
hybrid cotton was created by crossing insect-resistant plants with
herbicide-tolerant ones. Monsanto has applied for a permit to market
corn combining these two traits.

***Coexistence between biotechnology and non-biotechnology crops***

Coexistence has not been an issue that has necessitated the introduction
of specific guidelines or regulations in South Africa. Currently, there
is no market in SA for organic corn, soybeans or cotton. The "organic"
classification is limited to fruits and vegetables.

South African farmers do grapple with the issue of co-existence on the
same farm, especially when growing both yellow and white corn. White
corn, which is primarily for human consumption, often commands a higher
price/ton than yellow and tolerates a 3% adventitious presence of yellow
kernels before it is down graded to the price of yellow corn. In order
to protect their white corn, farmers utilize spatial or temporal
isolation to restrict cross-pollination. For example, if a farmer were
contracted to produce non-transgenic corn then he would discuss this
issue with a neighbor or plant a buffer zone of corn between plantings
if the surrounding corn is transgenic. The government leaves the
management of the approved GM field crops to the farmers. Soybeans and
cotton, the only other two approved transgenic crops, are virtually
self-pollinating and therefore are not a concern for contamination.

***Labeling***

Health regulations published in 2004 largely follow Codex Alimentarius
scientific guidelines. They mandate labeling of GM foods only in certain
cases, including when allergens or human/animal proteins are present,
and when a GM food product differs significantly from a non-GM
equivalent. The rules also require validation of enhanced-characteristic
(e.g., "more nutritious") claims for GM food products. The regulations
do not address claims that products are GM-free.

***Biosafety Protocol***

SA has signed and ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB).
The primary responsibility for implementing the CPB has shifted from the
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to the Department of
Agriculture (DoA). CPB implementation is meant to be gradual, and
accordingly DoA's implementation will be in phases, with the most
significant issues being handled first. SA, under the leadership of
DoA's GMO Regulatory Office, has modified its GMO act to comply with the
CPB.

The CPB will likely slow down trade with its additional bureaucratic
requirements but will likely not diminish trade in GMOs in the long run.

***Biotechnology Related Trade Barriers***

For stacked events companies need to start from the beginning of the
approval process, even when the individual traits have already been
approved. The lengthy process, more than the actual legislation, is a
barrier for exporting U.S. GM products to SA. For example, it is very
difficult to export U.S. corn to South Africa because they haven't yet
approved several varieties that are grown in the U.S.---without
including stacked events. SA isn't opposed in principle to these events;
they just haven't made it through the regulatory approval process yet.

The DTI's study is holding up approvals for new GM events in the GMO
Registrar's office. More on this topic on pg. 9 of this report.

There is no pending legislation that will further affect U.S. exports.

***Technology Fees***

Biotechnology companies operating in South Africa follow essentially the
same procedure for collecting technology fees that they follow in
America. This policy generally works because South Africa is a signatory
to the Trade-Related Aspects of International Property Rights (TRIPS)
agreement of the WTO. Trade sources relate that cotton and corn are such
that farmers have to buy new seed every year. Farmers sign a one-year
licensing agreement, and the technology fee is included in the price of
the bag of seed for these crops. Soybeans are more difficult. Technology
developers try to collect the fee from the farmers when they deliver the
harvest to the terminal. This fee can be difficult to collect because
soybeans are open pollinated so seed need not be purchased each year.
Also farmers often use soybeans for feed right on the farm so they might
never enter commercial circulation. This challenge is not unique to
South Africa, but rather is due to the intrinsic nature of the soybean.

**SECTION IV. MARKETING**

South African farmers can be divided into two categories. Commercial
farmers, usually white, are modern businessmen who sometimes have more
in common with their American counterparts than with their fellow, more
traditional Africans. Subsistence farmers are usually black and have
small, household farms. GM products have a wide appeal with both groups.
Each group appreciates that GM crops use fewer inputs and have higher
yields. In fact, subsistence farmers find some GM crops easier to manage
than traditional or hybrid varieties.

Seed companies have found that subsistence growers are an important
market for GM crops. Distributors should be from the local area, speak
the local language, and they should take time to talk with people and
explain the technology and its benefits. When this care is taken,
small-scale growers are generally receptive to new technologies.

Importers require assurance that no unapproved GM varieties are
inadvertently contained in the shipment because South Africa's
regulation for adventitious presence is only 1%. Yet, in reality their
tolerance is zero, since the GMO Registrar's office won't grant an
import approval for a shipment coming from a country that cultivates
events that aren't approved in South Africa. If the product is milled or
otherwise processed it can usually enter.

Retailers also need assurance that all the events in a product comply
with South African regulations. The labeling laws in South Africa are
science-based and reasonable (see Section III) and shouldn't be
difficult for retailers to comply with.

Like producers, consumers fall into two main categories: the first rich
and largely white, the second poor and largely black. The PUB's (see
more details in Section III) biotechnology survey shows -that most South
Africans have no knowledge of biotechnology. This finding is not
surprising given that most South Africans are more concerned with the
price of food than with how it was grown. What is interesting is that
despite this lack of understanding, an average of 57% indicated that
different applications of biotechnology should continue[^11]. The survey
was launched on April 6, 2005 and concludes that the country needs
better science communication about biotechnology so that people can have
a clearer picture of how it affects their lives.\
\
\"We hope this will empower them to become participants in this area of
science,\" said Helen Malherbe, coordinator of the Public Understanding
of Biotechnology program, which ran the study in collaboration with
another government-funded entity, the Human Sciences Research Council.\
\
Although South African scientists are among their continent\'s leaders
in biotechnology, the survey showed that the term "biotechnology" means
nothing to 82 per cent of the general public. A similar proportion is
unaware of the meanings of \'genetic engineering\', \'genetic
modification\' and \'cloning\'. The study, in which researchers
interviewed 7,000 people in the language of the participant\'s choice,
was designed to be representative of the adult population of South
Africa. It reveals that even among the few South Africans who were aware
of biotechnology, most were indifferent to it.\
\
Malherbe said notable findings were that nearly half of those
interviewed wanted to know more about medical uses of biotechnology, and
about one-quarter wanted more information on genetically modified food
and other agricultural uses of biotechnology.

When asked who they most trust to tell the truth about biotechnology, 24
per cent of interviewees said universities, 19 per cent said the media,
and 16 per cent said the government. Respondents were even less likely
to trust consumer groups, environmental organizations, religious groups,
or the biotechnology industry.

A virologist at the University of Cape Town says the survey revealed \"a
huge gap between science and society\". He suggests using everyday
products of biotechnology such as milk and cheese as educational tools
in public outreach at shopping malls and other local centers to increase
public awareness.

**SECTION V. CAPACITY BUILDING AND OUTREACH**

There are currently six major biotechnology projects implemented with
USAID South Africa biotechnology funds. There are also several other
ongoing or periodic activities that are being funded by USAID or other
USG agencies and these are listed after the six larger projects, which
are as follows:

**1) Southern Africa Biotechnology Program for Cassava Improvement:**
USAID South Africa is working jointly with other missions in the
Southern African region to fund research devoted to the improvement of
cassava both as a food crop, but more importantly for the region, as an
industrial starch crop, as a means to improve jobs and income for South
Africa and the region. USAID/South Africa has obligated \$800,000 over
two years (2004 and 2005) to this research and the initial focus has
been on further development and roll-out of a transgenic pest resistant
variety of cassava for use as industrial starch. The project is being
managed by Michigan State University in collaboration with the CGIAR.

**2) The Use of Biotechnology to Develop Buchu---an Indigenous Crop**

Buchu is an indigenous crop from the fynbos plant biome. Present demand
for the plant in the medicinal and the essential oil industries
surpasses the availability of raw material from the wild, creating a
serious problem of over harvesting which has a negative effect on one of
the major biodiversity hotspots on the planet. The objective of the work
is to make plant material and propagation techniques available to
emerging farmers in marginal areas (to which Buchu is well suited) to
both provide a profitable and environmentally appropriate alternative
crop and to stem the current problem of over harvesting of wild plants
and the destruction of Buchu in the wild. Biotechnology techniques
(marker assisted selection, genetic fingerprinting and tissue culture)
are being applied where conventional propagation methods have not
responded.

**3) Epidemiological Study on Porcine Cysticercosis in Emerging Farmer
Areas**

Porcine Cysticercosis is a serious disease found mostly in rural
populations of black farmers and their families. The disease is cause by
ingestion of the eggs of the pork tapeworm, which are shed by animals
and humans carrying the pork tapeworm. These eggs then lodge in nerve
tissue throughout the body of their hosts (human or pig), and if in the
brain, can cause epilepsy and death. Among smallholder farmers in South
Africa, pigs are mostly free range and thus spread the eggs throughout
the countryside infecting other pigs as well as humans. In South Africa
traditional "hut pigs" are very important livestock for rural emerging
farmers as valuable sources of protein and income. The presence of pork
tapeworm eggs in these areas is a critical issue, which limits both pork
consumption and sales and affects human heath. Prior to this study,
standard but unreliable tests provided an estimate that only 10% of
these pigs were infected with porcine Cysticercosis. This study
validated and further developed a biotechnological diagnostic test
(ELISA-monoclonal antibody-based parasite antigen test, enzyme-linked
immunoelectrotransfer blot), which showed that the rates of infection
among free range pigs, was approximately 33-47%. This diagnostic test
has proven to be 4 times more effective in diagnosing porcine
Cysticercosis and has alerted both agricultural and health officials in
the area to the extent of the problem for both swine production and
human health. (Study concluded in March 2005).

**4) Use of Biotechnology to Investigate Potential Use of Indigenous
plants for zoonotic helminthes (porcine Cysticercosis) diseases in South
Africa.** This is a research project running concurrently with item 3
above and will be concluding in September 2005. Under this grant, the
researchers are using interviews, surveys and biotechnological
techniques (genetic finger printing, tissue culture) to identify
indigenous plants which are currently used for treatment of porcine
Cysticercosis in humans and animals and will lead to the identification
of sound business opportunities for emerging smallholder farmers and
entrepreneurs to grow and market these plants on a more systemic, safe
and economic basis as well as make treatment for this disease more
widely available.

**5) Creating Salt Tolerant Apricot Rootstocks for Resource Poor Farming
Communities in the Eastern Cape Province through In-Vitro Mutation
Breeding**

Many emerging farming communities in South Africa are unable to utilize
agricultural land cost-effectively due to unfavorable growth conditions
for fruits and food crops. High salinity soils significantly restrain
the cultivation of agricultural crops. Areas have been identified as
excellent apricot growing areas but face a soil salinity problem. Using
in-vitro mutation South African scientists are striving to develop salt
tolerant apricot tree rootstock to allow emerging farmers to grow,
market and process apricots economically in these areas.

**6) Use of Biotechnology to Propagate/Domesticate *Sceletium
tortuosum*, a Natural Botanical.** This research began in January 2004
through a grant from USAID with the goal of finding the most cost
effective and best practice of propagating *Sceletium tortuosum* for use
by smallholder farmers as a high value crop in arid, marginal areas.
There is a patent registered on the active ingredient of the plant
(mesembrine) for treatment of mental disorders and until recently the
plant has only been available through wild harvesting. There is already
serious over-harvesting. The project has used biotechnology techniques
(marker assisted selection, genetic fingerprinting, and tissue culture)
to develop varieties for field trials and initial commercial production
by a community of the disabled and has also developed a rapid and simple
protocol for extracting and quantifying the concentration of the active
ingredient so that producers can easily have the analysis done and
certified for the market (which is expected to leverage higher profits
for these smallholder farmers).

**The USG is also funding and/or planning a number of other
biotech-related activities:**

-   promoting South African linkages to ASARECA (Association for
    Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa)
    and organizations in other parts of Africa working to increase the
    efficiency and impact of agricultural research, and to harmonize
    standards for seeds, and to ensure free flow of seeds around region.
    (USAID)

-   supporting development of intellectual property protection related
    to biotech innovation. (USAID)

-   AfricaBio is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit
    biotechnology organization based in South Africa that advocates for
    stakeholders in the research and development, production, processing
    and consuming sectors. USAID and other US organizations provide
    periodic funding for training and capacity building activities and
    production of biotechnology informational materials. USDA has sent
    AfricaBio staff to U.S. based training using the Cochran program.
    The bulk of its funding comes from the private sector.

-   Funding the testing and rollout strategy for the pest resistant Bt
    Potato in South Africa. This research, originally begun in Egypt,
    was transferred to South Africa due to Egyptian resistance to field
    trials and commercialization plans. (USAID)

-   Hosted Embassy Science Fellow in 2004 to support plant biotech
    research in South Africa, with a side trip to Botswana. (State/USDA)

-   Farmer to Farmer workshop in 2006 to provide farmers and
    policy-makers from Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya,
    Madagascar, Maruitius, and South Africa with information on GM
    policy. (USDA)

-   23 Members of Parliament from Kenya, Malawi and South Africa visited
    GM test plots in South Africa in May 2006. (USDA)

**Suggestions for additional engagement with a focus on stronger
research and regulatory capacity:**

-   Expand biotech R&D capacity and linkages in a long-term, sustainable
    way through the establishment of a regional center of excellence in
    biotech research\--by replicating USDA's ARS-French cooperative
    research model, albeit on a smaller scale, or by setting up a
    biotech research institute similar to that set up in Egypt by USAID.

-   Support a regional approach, especially to build regulatory capacity
    in SADC countries, through collaboration with strong regional
    organizations such as ASARECA

**SECTION VI. REFERENCE MATERIAL**

South Africa Department of Science and Technology (2004) *Possible
impacts of Genetically Modified Food Production on South African
Exports* A Jooste, WJ van der Walt, M Koch, K le Clus, H Otto, P
Taljaard

AfricaBio *GMO Indaba* (Vol. 4, No.2, April 2006)

AfricaBio *GMO Indaba* (Vol. 4, No.3, July 2006)

**Internet resources:**

AfricaBio: [www.africabio.com](http://www.africabio.com/)

Asian Development bank: [www.adb.org](http://www.adb.org/)

Agbiotechnet: [www.agbiotechnet.com](http://www.agbiotechnet.com/)

South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement:
[www.fest.org.za](http://www.fest.org.za/)

Department of Science and Technology:
[www.dst.gov.za](http://www.dst.gov.za/)

Department of Agriculture: [www.agri](http://www.agri/)

Agricultural Research Council:
[www.arc.agric.za](http://www.arc.agric.za/)

Public Understanding of Biotechnology:
[www.pub.ac.za](http://www.pub.ac.za/)

Southern Africa Development Community:
[www.sadc.inc](http://www.sadc.inc/)

International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications:
[www.isaa.org](http://www.isaa.org/)

Focus on the Global South: [www.focusweb.org](http://www.focusweb.org/)

Intermediate Technology Development Group:
[www.itdg.org](http://www.itdg.org/)

South Center: [www.southcenter.org](http://www.southcenter.org/)

Third World Network:
[www.twnside.org.sg/bio.htm](http://www.twnside.org.sg/bio.htm)

**APPENDIX A.** TABLE OF APPROVED BIOTECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS

+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| **Cr | **T    | **App  | **    | **Trait          | **Reviewed    |
| op** | rait** | licant | Event | Description(s)** | uses within   |
|      |        | (s)**  | (s)** |                  | South         |
|      | **Cate |        |       |                  | Africa**      |
|      | gory** |        |       |                  |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Mo     | Bol   |                  | # Gen         |
| tton | res    | nsanto | lgard |                  | eral release  |
|      | istant |        | II,   |                  |               |
|      |        |        | line  |                  | ## Importatio |
|      |        |        | 15985 |                  | n/exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ## Commer     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | cial planting |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Food and/or   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | feed          |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Sy     | Bt11  | Produced by      | # Gen         |
| aize | res    | ngenta |       | inserting the    | eral release  |
|      | istant |        |       | *cry1Ab* gene    |               |
|      |        |        |       | from *Bacillus   | ## Importatio |
|      |        |        |       | thuringiensis*   | n/exportation |
|      |        |        |       | subsp. kurstaki, |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ## Commer     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | cial planting |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Food and/or   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | feed          |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | Mo     | NK603 | Introduction, by | # Gen         |
| aize | bicide | nsanto |       | particle         | eral release  |
|      | to     |        |       | bombardment, of  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       | a modified       | ## Importatio |
|      |        |        |       | 5-enolpyruvyl    | n/exportation |
|      |        |        |       | shiki            |               |
|      |        |        |       | mate-3-phosphate | ## Commer     |
|      |        |        |       | synthase (EPSPS) | cial planting |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Food and/or   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | feed          |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Soy  | Her    | Mo     | GTS4  | enolpyruvylshiki | # Gen         |
| bean | bicide | nsanto | 0-3-2 | mate-3-phosphate | eral release  |
|      | to     |        |       | synthase (EPSPS) |               |
|      | lerant |        |       | encoding gene    | ## Importatio |
|      |        |        |       | from the soil    | n/exportation |
|      |        |        |       | bacterium        |               |
|      |        |        |       | *Agrobacterium   | ## Commer     |
|      |        |        |       | tumefaciens*.    | cial planting |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Food and/or   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | feed          |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Her    | Mo     | RR    | Glyphosate       | # Gen         |
| tton | bicide | nsanto | lines | herbicide        | eral release  |
|      | to     |        | 1445  | tolerant cotton  |               |
|      | lerant |        | &     | produced by      | ## Importatio |
|      |        |        | 1698  | inserting a      | n/exportation |
|      |        |        |       | glyphosate       |               |
|      |        |        |       | tolerant form of | ## Commer     |
|      |        |        |       | the enzyme       | cial planting |
|      |        |        |       | 5-enolpyruvyl    |               |
|      |        |        |       | shiki            | Food and/or   |
|      |        |        |       | mate-3-phosphate | feed          |
|      |        |        |       | synthase (EPSPS) |               |
|      |        |        |       | from *A.         |               |
|      |        |        |       | tumefaciens*     |               |
|      |        |        |       | strain CP4.      |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Mo     | Line  |                  | # Gen         |
| tton | res    | nsanto | 531 / |                  | eral release  |
|      | istant |        | Bol   |                  |               |
|      |        |        | lgard |                  | ## Importatio |
|      |        |        |       |                  | n/exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ## Commer     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | cial planting |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Food and/or   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | feed          |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Mo     | #     | Inserting a      | # Gen         |
| aize | res    | nsanto | # MON | truncated form   | eral release  |
|      | istant |        | 810 / | of the *cry1Ab*  |               |
|      |        |        |  Yiel | gene from        | ## Importatio |
|      |        |        | dgard | *Bacillus        | n/exportation |
|      |        |        |       | thuringiensis*   |               |
|      |        |        |       | subsp. kurstaki  | ## Commer     |
|      |        |        |       | HD-1.            | cial planting |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Food and/or   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | feed          |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Mo     | M     |                  | # Commodi     |
| aize | res    | nsanto | ON810 |                  | ty clearance  |
|      | istant |        | x     |                  |               |
|      |        |        | NK603 |                  | # (Excludes   |
|      | Her    |        |       |                  | events that h |
|      | bicide |        |       |                  | ave obtained  |
|      | to     |        |       |                  | general relea |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | # before com  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | modity cleara |
|      |        |        |       |                  | nce)Importati |
|      |        |        |       |                  | on for use as |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  food or feed |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+

+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| **Cr | **T    | **App  | **    | **Trait          | **Reviewed    |
| op** | rait** | licant | Event | Description(s)** | uses within   |
|      |        | (s)**  | (s)** |                  | South         |
|      | **Cate |        |       |                  | Africa**      |
|      | gory** |        |       |                  |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Mo     | M     |                  | # Commodi     |
| aize | res    | nsanto | ON810 |                  | ty clearance  |
|      | istant |        | x     |                  |               |
|      |        |        | GA21  |                  | # (Excludes   |
|      | Her    |        |       |                  | events that h |
|      | bicide |        |       |                  | ave obtained  |
|      | to     |        |       |                  | general relea |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | before        |
|      |        |        |       |                  | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       |                  | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       |                  | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       |                  | food or feed  |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | P      | T     | Produced by      | # Commodi     |
| aize | res    | ioneer | C1507 | inserting the    | ty clearance  |
|      | istant | H      |       | *cry1F* gene     |               |
|      |        | i-Bred |       | from *Bacillus   | # (Excludes   |
|      | Her    |        |       | thuringiensis*   | events that h |
|      | bicide |        |       | var. *aizawai*   | ave obtained  |
|      | to     |        |       | and the          | general relea |
|      | lerant |        |       | phosphinothricin | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       | N-a              |               |
|      |        |        |       | cetyltransferase | before        |
|      |        |        |       | encoding gene    | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       | from             | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       | *Streptomyces    | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       | vir              | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       | idochromogenes*. | food or feed  |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | Mo     | NK603 | Introduction, by | # Commodi     |
| aize | bicide | nsanto |       | particle         | ty clearance  |
|      | to     |        |       | bombardment, of  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       | a modified       | # (Excludes   |
|      |        |        |       | 5-enolpyruvyl    | events that h |
|      |        |        |       | shiki            | ave obtained  |
|      |        |        |       | mate-3-phosphate | general relea |
|      |        |        |       | synthase (EPSPS) | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | before        |
|      |        |        |       |                  | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       |                  | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       |                  | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       |                  | food or feed  |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+

+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| **Cr | **T    | **App  | **    | **Trait          | **Reviewed    |
| op** | rait** | licant | Event | Description(s)** | uses within   |
|      |        | (s)**  | (s)** |                  | South         |
|      | **Cate |        |       |                  | Africa**      |
|      | gory** |        |       |                  |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | Mo     | GA21  |                  | # Commodi     |
| aize | bicide | nsanto |       |                  | ty clearance  |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | # (Excludes   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | events that h |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ave obtained  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | general relea |
|      |        |        |       |                  | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | before        |
|      |        |        |       |                  | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       |                  | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       |                  | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       |                  | food or feed  |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Sy     | Bt11  | Produced by      | # Commodi     |
| aize | res    | ngenta |       | inserting the    | ty clearance  |
|      | istant |        |       | *cry1Ab* gene    |               |
|      |        |        |       | from *Bacillus   | # (Excludes   |
|      |        |        |       | thuringiensis*   | events that h |
|      |        |        |       | subsp. kurstaki, | ave obtained  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | general relea |
|      |        |        |       |                  | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | before        |
|      |        |        |       |                  | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       |                  | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       |                  | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       |                  | food or feed  |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | AgrEvo | #     |                  | # Commodi     |
| aize | bicide |        | # T25 |                  | ty clearance  |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | # (Excludes   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | events that h |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ave obtained  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | general relea |
|      |        |        |       |                  | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | before        |
|      |        |        |       |                  | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       |                  | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       |                  | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       |                  | food or feed  |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Sy     | Bt176 |                  | # Commodi     |
| aize | res    | ngenta |       |                  | ty clearance  |
|      | istant |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | # (Excludes   |
|      |        |        |       |                  | events that h |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ave obtained  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | general relea |
|      |        |        |       |                  | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | before        |
|      |        |        |       |                  | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       |                  | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       |                  | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       |                  | food or feed  |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Oil  | Her    | AgrEvo | Topas |                  | # Commodi     |
| seed | bicide |        | 19/2, |                  | ty clearance  |
| rape | to     |        | Ms    |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        | 1Rf1, |                  | # (Excludes   |
|      |        |        | Ms    |                  | events that h |
|      |        |        | 1Rf2, |                  | ave obtained  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | general relea |
|      |        |        | M     |                  | se clearance  |
|      |        |        | s8Rf3 |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | before        |
|      |        |        |       |                  | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       |                  | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       |                  | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       |                  | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       |                  | food or feed  |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Soy  | Her    | AgrEvo | A27   | Glufosinate      | # Commodi     |
| bean | bicide |        | 04-12 | ammonium         | ty clearance  |
|      | to     | A      |       | herbicide        |               |
|      | lerant | ventis |       | tolerant soybean | # (Excludes   |
|      |        |        |       | produced by      | events that h |
|      |        |        |       | inserting a      | ave obtained  |
|      |        |        |       | modified         | general relea |
|      |        |        |       | phosphinothricin | se clearance  |
|      |        |        |       | a                |               |
|      |        |        |       | cetyltransferase | before        |
|      |        |        |       | (PAT) encoding   | commodity     |
|      |        |        |       | gene from the    | clearanc      |
|      |        |        |       | soil bacterium   | e)Importation |
|      |        |        |       | *Streptomyces    | for use as    |
|      |        |        |       | vir              | food or feed  |
|      |        |        |       | idochromogenes*. |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Sy     | Cot   |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | ngenta | 102/  |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | C     |                  |               |
|      |        |        | ry1Ab |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+

+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| **Cr | **T    | **App  | **    | **Trait          | **Reviewed    |
| op** | rait** | licant | Event | Description(s)** | uses within   |
|      |        | (s)**  | (s)** |                  | South         |
|      | **Cate |        |       |                  | Africa**      |
|      | gory** |        |       |                  |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | Sy     | GA21  |                  | #             |
| aize | bicide | ngenta |       |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Her    | Sy     | Heb   |                  | #             |
| tton | bicide | ngenta | 134   |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        | 001-1 |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        | 34100 |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Vac  |        | Cato   | V     |                  | #             |
| cine |        | Re     | RX496 |                  | Trial release |
|      |        | search |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| HIV  | V      | MSD    | MRK   |                  | #             |
| vac  | accine |        | Ad5   |                  | Trial release |
| cine |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Su   | Inc    | SASEX  | 1-    |                  | #             |
| gar- | reased |        | 2-3-3 |                  | Trial release |
| cane | carboh |        |       |                  |               |
|      | ydrate |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      | c      |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      | ontent |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Her    | Mo     | MON   |                  | #             |
| tton | bicide | nsanto | 88913 |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        | (RR   |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        | flex  |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        | enh   |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        | anced |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        | RR)   |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Mo     | MON   |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | nsanto | 88913 |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | x     |                  |               |
|      |        |        | Bol   |                  | ##            |
|      | Her    |        | lgard |                  |  Importation  |
|      | bicide |        | II    |                  | / exportation |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | CSIR   | Safe  |                  | #             |
| aize | bicide |        | Maize |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Mo     | M     |                  | #             |
| aize | res    | nsanto | ON810 |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | x     |                  |               |
|      |        |        | NK603 |                  | ##            |
|      | Her    |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      | bicide |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Sy     | 3243M |                  | #             |
| aize | res    | ngenta |       |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Her    | Sy     | Glyph |                  | #             |
| tton | bicide | ngenta | osate |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        | resi  |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        | stant |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Soy  | D      | ARC    | ##    |                  | #             |
| bean | rought |        |  P5CR |                  | Trial release |
|      | res    |        |       |                  |               |
|      | istant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+

+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| **Cr | **T    | **App  | **    | **Trait          | **Reviewed    |
| op** | rait** | licant | Event | Description(s)** | uses within   |
|      |        | (s)**  | (s)** |                  | South         |
|      | **Cate |        |       |                  | Africa**      |
|      | gory** |        |       |                  |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Sy     | CO    |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | ngenta | T102, |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | lines |                  |               |
|      |        |        | 3169, |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        | 3826  |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        | -3829 |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | C      | St    |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | algene | acked |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | Bt    |                  |               |
|      |        |        | event |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Ston   | St    |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | eville | acked |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | Bol   |                  |               |
|      |        |        | lgard |                  | ##            |
|      | Her    |        | II &  |                  |  Importation  |
|      | bicide |        | RR    |                  | / exportation |
|      | to     |        | (     |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        | 1445) |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Sy     | CO    |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | ngenta | T101, |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | CO    |                  |               |
|      |        |        | T102, |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        | line  |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        | 3169  |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Her    | Ston   | LL25  |                  | #             |
| tton | bicide | eville |       |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Po   | Insect | ARC    | Bt    |                  | #             |
| tato | res    |        | event |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | P      | T     |                  | #             |
| aize | res    | ioneer | C6228 |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant | H      |       |                  |               |
|      |        | i-Bred |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | A      | Z     |                  | #             |
| aize | res    | ventis | MA101 |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      | Her    |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      | bicide |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Su   | Insect | Univ   | G     |                  | #             |
| gar- | res    | ersity | lufos |                  | Trial release |
| cane | istant | of     | inate |                  |               |
|      |        | Natal  | amm   |                  | ##            |
|      | Her    |        | onium |                  |  Importation  |
|      | bicide |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Po   | Insect | First  | \*Bt  |                  | #             |
| tato | res    | potato | event |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant | Dy     |       |                  |               |
|      |        | namics |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | Mo     | \*    | Introduction, by | #             |
| aize | bicide | nsanto | NK603 | particle         | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       | bombardment, of  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       | a modified       | ##            |
|      |        |        |       | 5-enolpyruvyl    |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       | shiki            | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       | mate-3-phosphate |               |
|      |        |        |       | synthase (EPSPS) | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | AgrEvo | T25   |                  | #             |
| aize | bicide |        |       |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| W    | Her    | Mo     | RR    |                  | #             |
| heat | bicide | nsanto |       |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+

+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| **Cr | **T    | **App  | **    | **Trait          | **Reviewed    |
| op** | rait** | licant | Event | Description(s)** | uses within   |
|      |        | (s)**  | (s)** |                  | South         |
|      | **Cate |        |       |                  | Africa**      |
|      | gory** |        |       |                  |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | P      | \*T   | Produced by      | #             |
| aize | res    | ioneer | C1507 | inserting the    | Trial release |
|      | istant | H      |       | *cry1F* gene     |               |
|      |        | i-Bred |       | from *Bacillus   | ##            |
|      |        |        |       | thuringiensis*   |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       | var. *aizawai*   | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       | and the          |               |
|      |        |        |       | phosphinothricin | Field testing |
|      |        |        |       | N-a              |               |
|      |        |        |       | cetyltransferase |               |
|      |        |        |       | encoding gene    |               |
|      |        |        |       | from             |               |
|      |        |        |       | *Streptomyces    |               |
|      |        |        |       | vir              |               |
|      |        |        |       | idochromogenes*. |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Mo     | \*St  |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | nsanto | acked |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | Bol   |                  |               |
|      |        |        | lgard |                  | ##            |
|      | Her    |        | I &   |                  |  Importation  |
|      | bicide |        | RR    |                  | / exportation |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | Mo     | \*St  |                  | #             |
| aize | res    | nsanto | acked |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | MON   |                  |               |
|      |        |        | 84006 |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Soy  | Her    | Mo     | \     | produced by      | #             |
| bean | bicide | nsanto | *GTS4 | inserting a      | Trial release |
|      | to     |        | 0-3-2 | modified         |               |
|      | lerant |        |       | 5-               | ##            |
|      |        |        |       | enolpyruvylshiki |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       | mate-3-phosphate | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       | synthase (EPSPS) |               |
|      |        |        |       | encoding gene    | Field testing |
|      |        |        |       | from the soil    |               |
|      |        |        |       | bacterium        |               |
|      |        |        |       | *Agrobacterium   |               |
|      |        |        |       | tumefaciens*.    |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Her    | Mo     | \*BXN |                  | #             |
| tton | bicide | nsanto |       |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Ca   | Her    | AgrEvo | \*M   |                  | #             |
| nola | bicide |        | s8Rf3 |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | Mo     | \     |                  | #             |
| aize | bicide | nsanto | *GA21 |                  | Trial release |
|      | to     |        |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Mo     | \*Bol |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | nsanto | lgard |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | I     |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        |       |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| Co   | Insect | Mo     | \*Bol |                  | #             |
| tton | res    | nsanto | lgard |                  | Trial release |
|      | istant |        | II    |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | ##            |
|      |        |        | Line  |                  |  Importation  |
|      |        |        | 15985 |                  | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | No     | \*Bt  | Produced by      | #             |
| aize | res    | vartis | 11    | inserting the    | Trial release |
|      | istant | (Syn   |       | *cry1Ab* gene    |               |
|      |        | genta) |       | from *Bacillus   | ##            |
|      |        |        |       | thuringiensis*   |  Importation  |
|      |        |        |       | subsp. kurstaki, | / exportation |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      |        |        |       |                  | Field testing |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Her    | Dow    | DAS   |                  | ##            |
| aize | bicide | Agros  | 1507  |                  |  Importation  |
|      | to     | cience |       |                  |               |
|      | lerant |        |       |                  | Contained use |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| C.   | Amino  | SA     |       |                  | ##            |
| glu  | acid   | Biopr  |       |                  |  Importation  |
| ta-m | (isol  | oducts |       |                  |               |
| icum | eucine |        |       |                  | Contained use |
|      | produ  |        |       |                  |               |
| A    | ction) |        |       |                  |               |
| M919 |        |        |       |                  |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| E.   | Amino  | AECI   |       |                  | ##            |
| coli | acid   | Biopr  |       |                  |  Importation  |
| VNII | (thre  | oducts |       |                  |               |
|      | onine) |        |       |                  | Contained use |
|      |        |        |       |                  |               |
|      | prod   |        |       |                  |               |
|      | uction |        |       |                  |               |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+
| M    | Insect | P      | T     |                  | ##            |
| aize | res    | ioneer | C6228 |                  |  Importation  |
|      | istant | H      |       |                  |               |
|      |        | i-Bred |       |                  | Contained use |
+------+--------+--------+-------+------------------+---------------+

\*Approvals originally granted under an amendment of the Agricultural
Pest Act, 1983

Note: Approvals are granted for a specific period only. Thus, not all
the events listed above are being tested at this moment.

[^1]: James, Clive 2005

[^2]: Kupka, Julia Farmer's Weekley, May, 2006

[^3]: Pretoria News, Bruce Venter, August 30, 2004

[^4]: Pile, Jacqui Financial Mail November 2005

[^5]: Mail and Guardian August 2005

[^6]: African Center for Biosafety July 10, 2006

[^7]: www.nda.agric.za

[^8]: www.sadc.int

[^9]: Khumalo, Nkululeko and George Naphambo Business Day May 2006

[^10]: Business Day July 2006

[^11]: www.pub.ac.za