In South Africa, the Genetically Modified Organisms Act, 1997 provides regulatory oversight over GMOs ensuring rigorous safety assessment of biotech crops by an Advisory panel of independent scientists to minimise potential risks to human health, animal health as well as the environment.

CropLife SA acts as liaison between the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, and the plant science industry so as to ensure compliance with and enforcement of the GMO Act, 1997.

In addition, CropLife SA offers the following to its members:

• Monitor and update members on plant biotech policy developments at national, regional, or international levels.
• Support members with regulatory compliance e.g. GM labelling, procedures and processes for GM cultivation and trade, etc.
• Communication and outreach activities around impacts of plant biotechnology and product stewardship

Under the GMO act, approved GMO activities are regulated by permits with accompanying permit conditions to ensure compliance and that activities are carried out in a responsible manner. In this regard CropLife SA liaises closely with the grain industry to facilitate annual reporting of approved GM Commodity Clearance events.

Liason

Commodity Clearance permits approved under the GMO Act, includes permit conditions requiring that annual reports be submitted regarding any unanticipated adverse effects arising from the handling and use of the approved GMO commodity. As the permit holders (technology developers) are not directly involved in the trade and import of commodities, annual commodity reporting is facilitated by CropLife SA, in liaison with grain traders associations, SACOTA and AFMA.

CropLife SA advocates for a science based regulatory environment that safeguards human health, animal health and environmental safety while supporting biotech innovation, commercialization and trade. CropLife SA continues to work with regulators to shape sound regulatory policy that facilitates access to modern breeding innovations and their potential to contribute to sustainable agricultural development and food security.

CropLife SA’s advocacy efforts focus on key regulatory policy issues such as:

• Regulatory harmonisation for biotech crops
• Regulation of stacked traits
• Plant breeding innovation/genome editing
• Low level presence (LLP)