Venezuela has passed a new seed law, imposing a strict ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). On December 23th, the National Assembly of Venezuela approved the “Ley de Semillas” in its final session before the new opposition coalition took over on January 5th . The law was promptly signed by Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. It regulates the production of hybrid seeds in Venezuela and prohibits the production, distribution and import of genetically modified seeds as well as GMO research. A central body will be established to implement the law and sanction violations, with a focus on the protection of traditional seeds, teleSUR reported. The legislation also makes an emphasis on the “protection of indigenous, African, campesina, and local seeds, which represents a benefit for our biological diversity and consolidates our food security and sovereignty,” said Venezuela’s Vice-President Jorge Arreaza. The law promotes the free exchange of seed and opposes the conversion of seed into intellectual or patented property or any other form of privatisation. Article 2 of the law states the broader goal of promoting “the transition from conventional systems of production based on monoculture and the use of agrochemicals with agro-industrial and/or corporate seed for conventional use, to an agroecological system and the preservation of the environment in the short, medium and long term, based on agro-biodiversity.” On his television show in December, President Maduro said the new Seed Law provides the conditions to produce food “under an agro-ecological model that respects the pacha mama [mother earth] and the right of our children to grow up healthy, eating healthy.” The approval of the law came after three years of debates but its implementation could prove difficult as the newly elected opposition coalition “Roundtable of Democratic Unity” won a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. (ab)