Biotech to boost South Africa's agriculture
Thématique :
sud afrique
Fidelis Zvomuya, Africa News, 29/02/2008
Biotech farming is increasing rapidly in South Africa, with a further 400 000 ha of agricultural land turned over last year to the planting of genetically modified (GM) crops.
This takes the total area under GM cultivation in South Africa to 1,8m ha, an increase of almost 30% over the area cultivated in 2006, a study by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application (Isaaa) shows.
Still the only African country to commercialise biotech crops Burkina Faso and Egypt look set to follow soon. South Africa is in its 11th year of biotech agriculture and has emerged as one of the world's most important centres in terms of applying and spreading the technology.
Ranked eighth in the world in terms of biotech hectarage employed, South Africa has since 1997 approved the cultivation of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant maize, soybean and cotton varieties. The GM seeds have to be approved by the department of agriculture after being vetted by a team of academic scientists.
Biotech maize accounted for the biggest proportion of last year's hectarage increase, and now takes up to two-thirds of South Africa's total white maize area of 1,7m ha.
According to Agriculture South Africa's president, Lourie Bosman, white GM maize totalled 1 040 000 ha, an increase of 48% over 2006/07, representing a market share of 62%.
Bosman said yellow maize increased from 528 000 ha to 567 000 ha, up 7%, with a market share of 51%.
‘These figures were indicative of the increasing confidence thousands of South Africans and emerging farmers had in crop biotechnology,” he said.
Just over half of the maize produced in South Africa was GM maize, and the country is entering its 12th year since the adoption of biotech crops in 1996.
"Agriculture South Africa is positive about genetically modified agricultural crops and is enthusiastic about the contribution they can make in the future towards increased production," highlighted Mr Bosman.
According to Clive James, chairman of the International Service of the Acquisition for Agri-Biotech Applications, the global adoption of biotech crops in 2007 continued to shoe an impressive 12% growth.
Some 12 million farmers in 23 countries on six continents planted 114.3 million ha of GM crops.
About 90% or 11 million of these farmers are resource-poor farmers in 12 developing countries.
According to Bosman the cumulative value of GM maize at farmer's price totalled R21.631 billion, and the cumulative GM maize produced was 14.673 metric tons.
Biotech farming is increasing rapidly in South Africa, with a further 400 000 ha of agricultural land turned over last year to the planting of genetically modified (GM) crops.
This takes the total area under GM cultivation in South Africa to 1,8m ha, an increase of almost 30% over the area cultivated in 2006, a study by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application (Isaaa) shows.
Still the only African country to commercialise biotech crops Burkina Faso and Egypt look set to follow soon. South Africa is in its 11th year of biotech agriculture and has emerged as one of the world's most important centres in terms of applying and spreading the technology.
Ranked eighth in the world in terms of biotech hectarage employed, South Africa has since 1997 approved the cultivation of insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant maize, soybean and cotton varieties. The GM seeds have to be approved by the department of agriculture after being vetted by a team of academic scientists.
Biotech maize accounted for the biggest proportion of last year's hectarage increase, and now takes up to two-thirds of South Africa's total white maize area of 1,7m ha.
According to Agriculture South Africa's president, Lourie Bosman, white GM maize totalled 1 040 000 ha, an increase of 48% over 2006/07, representing a market share of 62%.
Bosman said yellow maize increased from 528 000 ha to 567 000 ha, up 7%, with a market share of 51%.
‘These figures were indicative of the increasing confidence thousands of South Africans and emerging farmers had in crop biotechnology,” he said.
Just over half of the maize produced in South Africa was GM maize, and the country is entering its 12th year since the adoption of biotech crops in 1996.
"Agriculture South Africa is positive about genetically modified agricultural crops and is enthusiastic about the contribution they can make in the future towards increased production," highlighted Mr Bosman.
According to Clive James, chairman of the International Service of the Acquisition for Agri-Biotech Applications, the global adoption of biotech crops in 2007 continued to shoe an impressive 12% growth.
Some 12 million farmers in 23 countries on six continents planted 114.3 million ha of GM crops.
About 90% or 11 million of these farmers are resource-poor farmers in 12 developing countries.
According to Bosman the cumulative value of GM maize at farmer's price totalled R21.631 billion, and the cumulative GM maize produced was 14.673 metric tons.
