After 33 years of biotech communication and 21 years of GM crop testing and adoption, where to now for South Africa?

摘要

This overview is intended to share South Africa's experiences in field crops with scientists in horticultural biotechnology. These experiences, pitfalls and constraints may hold some value for horticultural biotechnology, especially as the boundary between GM and conventional breeding becomes blurred. Communication on modern genetic modification commenced in 1978 with the establishment of a voluntary committee, the South African Committee for Genetic Experimentation (SAGENE) by scientists. Its primary objective was to advise both government and industry, and the committee drafted the first biosafety guidelines for managing the technology in 1996. In 1990, the first GM crop, Bt cotton, was field tested under existing legislation. The comprehensive GMO Act was approved in 1997 and entered into force in 1999. The Act functions on basis of a permit system, approval subject to decisions by the official GMO Executive Council. Bt cotton was approved for commercial use in 1997, Bt maize in 1997, and herbicide tolerant soybeans in 2001. The combined area planted to these crops reached 2.2 million ha in 2010, placing South Africa in 9th position globally. A National Biotechnology Strategy was drafted in 2001. Amendments to the Act, regulations and biosafety requirements and procedures continued to evolve, as did the increased complexity of novel traits. This overview covers the trends in GM crop adoption and communication issues, examines whether the system is in harmony with biotechnology strategy and how South Africa may proceed beyond the present biotechnology status towards new GM crops, new novel traits and new biosafety communication. Constraints identified include inadequate contact of scientists with policy makers and politicians, lags in getting innovative results and products to the market and cost of meeting regulatory compliance which may rule out most local innovations entering the market.