SOUTH AFRICA: AGRICULTURE:
Smallholder famers against genetically modified seeds

5/10/2012 5:18:31 AM
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JOHANNESBURG - South Africa’s smallholder farmers face a losing battle against government for seed security. - The South African government is focused on promoting commercial entities that push genetically modified (GM) and hybrid seeds that are expected to boost national agricultural sales on global markets. However this intensive promotion is being pushed at the expense of traditional farming methods of smallholder farmers who feel government is forcing them to phase out their own natural seeds. The country’s smallholder farmers say they would rather have support with fencing, farming equipment and better access to markets as they are of the belief that genetically modified and hybrid seeds don’t store well and tend to rot easily. Meanwhile, South Africa’s Department of Agriculture denies these accusations saying replacing traditional seeds with commercial varieties is not an official government policy. But rather the department supports both traditional and commercial farming methods. (END/RADIO BULLETIN EDITOR/2012)

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