SAFeAGE is a GM Consumer Watchdog

 
The South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering (SAFeAGE) was founded in 1999 as the campaign arm of NGOs involved with the GMO debate. Initially we served as the umbrella organisation for the anti-GMO campaign, and in 2005 we became a fully autonymous NGO. 

Our first project was to host author and activist Jeffrey Smith, which took the issues and problems of GMOs deeper into the public arena. Subsequent to that, SAFeAGE decided to focus on the all-important area of consumer awareness raising. 

Two campaigns were run. 

It is through your participation and engagement with SAFeAGE, to demand our rights to safe food, to call for GM Foods to be labelled. Industry is financially equipped to advertise the safety of GM foods.

We do not have those resources. So instead, we need to exercise the gigantic power that we do have and that is to vote with our choices at the supermarket.

Ask for Organic as if a Food containing Maze, Cotton Seed Oil or Soy contains GM.

SAFeAGE originally 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.

• 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.