South Africa: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual
The production area of Genetically Engineered (GE) crops in South Africa was unchanged in 2014, at 2.9 million hectares, making South Africa the ninth largest producer of GE crops in the world and by far the largest in Africa. South Africa approved three new GE events for general release in 2014, which included two corn stacked events. Twenty-five field or clinical trials permits were also authorized in 2014, including the long-awaited drought tolerance in corn. The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project is expected to deliver its first biotech stacked drought tolerant corn with insect control in South Africa as early as 2017. There is still no finalization on GE labeling in South Africa.
