mBio

Mapping biotechnology use, development, and discussion across Africa

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

Hello world 👋 Today, we’re launching our website, which maps biotechnology use, development, and discussion across Africa. We believe it to be the largest public database on this field to date, and we hope you’ll give it a look:

https://t.co/dhogKfcpnP

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

We are excited to see the mBio database being used in the Economist. The story is below, and the database can be found here: https://t.co/XBj1ylaDvz

[The Economist @TheEconomist]

Some enthusiasts of genetically modified crops say the technology could feed a hungry continent.

Sceptics warn of a sinister plot by multinational corporations to ensnare witting African farmers.

Neither claim is quite right https://t.co/PGU4L7dCmd 👇

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

Two mBio databases -- on GM crop development and funding -- are cited extensively in this article from @Reporterre.

More information and full datasets available on our website: https://t.co/olq3qrrsfn

[Reporterre 🌍 | Le média de l'écologie @Reporterre]

En vingt ans, la Fondation Bill & Melinda Gates a largement financé la recherche sur les semences OGM en Afrique.

Problème : les seuls OGM cultivés sont ceux développés aux États-Unis dans les années 1980.

https://t.co/Ll8OKzaEd9

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

New paper from our team in @plantspplplanet leverages the mBio dataset to examine the scope of genetically modified crop development, past & present, in Africa

Both the paper & dataset are available open-access:
🖥️dataset: https://t.co/XBj1yla5G1
🔖paper: https://t.co/BcSqKymg7d

[Brian Dowd-Uribe @bdowduribe]

Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are hailed as a way to bring private biotech IPR to public researchers in Africa to create GM & gene-edited crops for poor farmers. Our latest pub leverages a new data set to assess their extent & performance #GMO 👇https://t.co/7AYuLKClro 🧵 1/

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

We're delighted to see our research on GM crop funding in Africa cited in @thenation.

For more information, please check out our full database: https://t.co/iI8pQyhFNY

[The Nation @thenation]

“Our seeds are from this soil. It’s colonialism to say what seeds we can use and how to use them.” —Ghanan farmer Faustina Banakwoyem
https://t.co/AgAuwo7e8z

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

The Kenyan National Environment Management Authority has approved national performance trials of a cassava genetically engineered to resist cassava brown streak disease.

We've got more information on this project, and others like it, on our website: https://t.co/kSMpJpxOy3

[TheStarKenya @TheStarKenya]

The license will allow for the national performance trial by KEPHIS
https://t.co/2dscA5A1PM

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

Kenya has been in the news recently after lifting a 10-year ban on GMOs. Want to learn more? Our database has information on past and present GMO development in the country: https://t.co/kSMpJpxOy3

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

Just Published: our new blog post examines funding of agricultural biotechnology in Africa. We use a case study of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation to assess the dynamic relationships between donors, firms, and research organizations.

https://t.co/PysHVkULw0

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

Genetically modified (GM) crops in Africa by the numbers:

🔹14 countries with active or suspended GM crop development
🔹23 distinct crops in the GM development pipeline
🔹30 (of 32) GM crop varieties commercialized are either maize or cotton

https://t.co/5JVEjKIhxQ

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

We hope that our website can contribute to public knowledge and discussion around biotechnology.

With that said, the site is a work in progress and will be updated regularly. If you would like to submit a new crop entry, or correction to an existing entry, please be in touch.

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

Hello world 👋 Today, we’re launching our website, which maps biotechnology use, development, and discussion across Africa. We believe it to be the largest public database on this field to date, and we hope you’ll give it a look:

https://t.co/dhogKfcpnP

[mBio @mappingbiotech]

Finally, the website also features country pages that contain details of GM crops (past and present) and information on laws and regulations related to biotechnology in that country.