Biotech Updates

Colombia Approves GM Maize

March 16, 2007

The Colombian Institute of Agriculture (ICA) has authorized the controlled planting in specific areas of the country of two biotech insect-resistant maize varieties, Yieldgard and Herculex. These GM varieties have been approved for human and animal consumption, and for food processing, following biosafety, health and food safety, and socio-economic studies carried out by CTNBio, the Colombian Technical Committee on Biosafety. CTNBio comprises members from the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Development; the Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development; the Ministry of Social Protection; the Colombian Institute for the Development of Science and Technology (Colciencias) and ICA.

The approval requires a minimum distance of 300m between the GM and conventional varieties, and GM varieties cannot be planted in protected indigenous areas.

For more information contact Osiris Ocando at osiris.ocando@agrobio.org.