Maize is the major staple crop in many parts of Africa. Bt maize is the only commercialised genetically modified (GM) food crop in the continent and has been cultivated in South Africa since 2001 through public and private programmes. Bt maize produces insecticidal proteins that provide resistance to the African maize stem borer (Busseola fusca) and the Chilo borer (Chilo partellus), two pests that cause significant yield losses.

An article in the South African Journal of Science examines the efficacy of Bt maize in improving smallholder agriculture in the country (Fischer K, Van den Berg J, Mutengwa C. Is Bt maize effective in improving South African smallholder agriculture? S Afr J Sci. 2015;111(1/2), Art. #a0092, 2 pages. http://dx.doi. org/10.17159/sajs.2015/a0092). The article highlights the fact that Bt maize was originally developed for use in large-scale capital intensive farming, which is reflected in its functioning and currently results in it being of limited use to smallholders. It also points to the regulatory context of Bt maize in South Africa and the lack of information provided to farmers, including the need toplant a refuge of non-Bt maize next to their Bt crop to delay resistance development, which have largely prevented smallholders from benefitting from Bt maize.