www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

An East London non-profit organisation says Bhisho?s new R1- billion
bio-fuels project could seriously damage human health and the environment,
February 2007 by Guy Rogers.

It also says there is a better way to bring in more money for poor rural
communities in the province.

The project is part of a national draft bio-fuels strategy which the
minerals and energy department is currently presenting on its road show
around the country.

Its Eastern Cape stopover comprised a single public meeting in East London
last week.

The project involves planting 70 000ha of canola on communal land and then
processing it into bio-fuel at a plant in the East London industrial
development zone. Canola is an oil-rich, turnip-like plant.

The fuel will be exported to the EU and the canola seed cakes will be used
as stock feed.

It was estimated that some 21 600 jobs would be created through the project.

Third World Investment Gateway head Mark Wells said: ?The strategy was
developed with no consultation with communities. The task team that
developed it seemed unaware of the toxicity of Roundup herbicide, which they
said would be used.

?They also seemed unaware of the existing lack of an in-depth, independent
study of the effect of genetically modified (GM) crops ? which they said
would be used ? on humans and animals. What was more amazing was that they
believed their plan was economically beneficial, with a measly return of R13
500 a year for the average 4ha Transkei farm.?

Patented by the seed and agri- chemical multinational Monsanto, to
complement its GM programme, Roundup herbicide kills everything except
?Roundup-ready? crops.

But tests have shown that the herbicide persists in the soil. This means
that farmers who accept the programme, but then want to switch back to crop
or pasture seed that is not Roundup-ready, cannot do so.

Wells said these tests had shown that herbicide was systemically absorbed
into the fruit and seeds of the Roundup-ready crop.

?World Health Organisation studies show that no amount of washing and
cooking can get rid of this contamination. Several studies have pinpointed
Roundup as an endocrinic disrupter, affecting hormonal balance and immune
systems, with offspring being especially vulnerable.?

Other studies have shown 15 to 20 per cent of Roundup was lost when it was
sprayed onto the crop, he said. This vapour polluted the air, vegetation and
water, posing the same contamination threat in the wild.

Wells said that while planting canola did add nitrogen to the soil and
improve its quality, this benefit was nullified by the use of Roundup.

?The stated aim is to use canola as a winter crop in combination with
Roundup-ready maize.? He said it seemed clear the major dividends from the
Eastern Cape bio-fuels project would go to the suppliers of the canola and
maize seed.

?Between this delightful corporate sandwich are the uninformed,
semi-literate and impoverished rural communities in the Transkei who will
question, as we do, the obvious exclusion of bio-gas from the national
strategy.?

Methane or bio-gas is generated by processing farm manure into a ?digester?,
and could be used for cooking, heating or to power vehicles, Wells said.

Algae grew on the effluent discharged from the digester, and this algae
could be processed into oil and used to make bio-diesel for vehicles.

?More oil can be produced through this zero-waste approach from 500m? of
algae ponds than from 1 000m? of canola.?

If this approach was integrated with organic food production and
mainstreamed across the country?s small farms, ?each hectare could grow in
value by R50 000, all South Africa?s vehicle fuel needs could be met and 20
million jobs could be created?, he said.

Sandile Tyatya, chief director for clean energy at the minerals and energy
department, confirmed that communities had not yet been consulted about the
project.

?We are planning to rectify this before the end of March,? he said.

Tyatya said his department was being guided by the national agriculture
department and no decision had been made on the use of a specific herbicide
or on whether GM crops would be used.

[www.theherald.co.za]