Coming Together to protect the educational commons
Confronting the take over of our public educational systems by the corporate assault on the intellectual commons of our schools throughout the world.
GROUP DETAILS
Created: Oct 30, 2007
Updated: Nov 09, 2009
Membership: Open
Public
South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering [SAFEAGE]
( Non Governmental Organization )Organization Info [Edit]
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SAFeAGE [South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering] is committed to ensuring an OUTRIGHT BAN is imposed on genetic engineering in food and farming to ensure sufficient assessment and understanding is gained for all the implications it may have for consumers, farmers and the environment.
As an organisation representing the South African public we are seriously concerned about the lack of both public involvement and risk assessment in the face of high levels of corporate secrecy and non-disclosure.
We need a lot more time to assess the use of genetic engineering and its health, safety and environmental implications if we are to use it in our food, farming and healthcare.
This is why SAFeAGE therefore called on the government of South Africa to introduce a minimum five-year freeze on:
The growing of GE crops for commercial purposes or in field trials. The government should revoke all existing marketing and field trial permits and grant no further permission for commercial GE crops until the technology is proven to be safe, environmentally harmless and in the interests of the people of South Africa and her neighbours - the only exception being for strictly contained laboratory tests designed to assess ecological and health impacts.
Consideration, research and development of sustainable alternatives to GE - like scientifically safe and biologically sound means of growing food - should be an integral part of this process
the import and export of GE foods, farm crops and products derived from GE crops.
the patenting of genetic resources for food and farm crops. The government should not issue patents on animals, plants, micro-organisms and their genes or any transgenic varieties thereof. Existing patents must be revoked.
During the Freeze the following must be developed:
A system enabling people to exercise their democratic right to choose products free of GE ingredients and derivatives.
A system of consultation where people can objectively determine the desirability of GE crops.
A comprehensive review of government policy and legislation concerning GE.
Public participation in decision-making.
Independent assessment of GMOs` social and economic impacts on farmers.
A system to prevent genetic contamination of the environment.
Independent assessment of the implications of patenting genetic resources. It is essential to develop public policy process which is open, transparent and includes civil society representation on the Advisory Committee to the Executive Council on GMOs.
A full set of feeding tests that span generations, on mice, pigs and building up to humans.
As an organisation representing the South African public we are seriously concerned about the lack of both public involvement and risk assessment in the face of high levels of corporate secrecy and non-disclosure.
We need a lot more time to assess the use of genetic engineering and its health, safety and environmental implications if we are to use it in our food, farming and healthcare.
This is why SAFeAGE therefore called on the government of South Africa to introduce a minimum five-year freeze on:
The growing of GE crops for commercial purposes or in field trials. The government should revoke all existing marketing and field trial permits and grant no further permission for commercial GE crops until the technology is proven to be safe, environmentally harmless and in the interests of the people of South Africa and her neighbours - the only exception being for strictly contained laboratory tests designed to assess ecological and health impacts.
Consideration, research and development of sustainable alternatives to GE - like scientifically safe and biologically sound means of growing food - should be an integral part of this process
the import and export of GE foods, farm crops and products derived from GE crops.
the patenting of genetic resources for food and farm crops. The government should not issue patents on animals, plants, micro-organisms and their genes or any transgenic varieties thereof. Existing patents must be revoked.
During the Freeze the following must be developed:
A system enabling people to exercise their democratic right to choose products free of GE ingredients and derivatives.
A system of consultation where people can objectively determine the desirability of GE crops.
A comprehensive review of government policy and legislation concerning GE.
Public participation in decision-making.
Independent assessment of GMOs` social and economic impacts on farmers.
A system to prevent genetic contamination of the environment.
Independent assessment of the implications of patenting genetic resources. It is essential to develop public policy process which is open, transparent and includes civil society representation on the Advisory Committee to the Executive Council on GMOs.
A full set of feeding tests that span generations, on mice, pigs and building up to humans.
