McKinsey & Co. released a report that communicates a positive outlook for the future of biofuels, while Sierra Leonean scientist and recipient of the 2004 World Food Prize, Monty Jones, called for more awareness among individuals about genetic engineering and the benefits it can bring to Africa. 

State Deparment official Dr. Nina Fedoroff discusses the advantages of genetically modified crops

Fora.tv featured a lecture by Dr. Nina Fedoroff, Science and Technology Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State, titled “Genetically Modified Crops: Monsters or Miracles?” In the lecture Dr. Fedoroff discusses the role that GM foods can play in food security as the population rises to 9 billion. She also addresses the promise of Golden Rice, rice engineered to help the body produce Vitamin A so children do not die or go blind from Vitamin A deficiency, a common problem in the developing world.

READ MORE »

Science  journal Nature published editorials on the need for a second green revolution to eliminate world hunger by 2050 and how overregulation is slowing down a rice variety than can lower the risk of blindness in children, while the production of a biotech crop in India yields advantages for female employment opportunities and earnings.

“Second green revolution” necessary to eliminate world hunger

A second green revolution with a new focus in agricultural research will be needed to provide enough food for the world’s population in 2050, according to an editorial published by science journal Nature on July 28. In order to achieve a Green Revolution, we will need to invest in high-tech seeds and low-tech farming practices.  The editorial was part of Nature’s latest issue where the theme was food and agriculture. READ MORE »

This week we were pleased to see that researchers at Stanford University were finally able to put to rest the argument that conventional farming is bad for the planet. In fact, they found that modern farming REDUCED the amount of greenhouse gases entering the earth’s atmosphere by the end of the 20^th century. Other ag biotech news we liked this week:

Study finds that modern farming helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions

According to researchers at Stanford University, modern high-yield farming significantly reduced the amount of greenhouse gas emissions entering the Earth’s atmosphere by the end of the 20^th century. The study found that novel farming techniques prevented as much as the equivalent of 590 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide. Any policy intended to lower the amount of greenhouse gas emissions into the Earth’s atmosphere, the researchers concluded, should entail the improvement of crop yields. READ MORE »

C. Kameswara Rao, Executive Secretary of the Foundation for Biotechnology Awareness and Education in Bangalore, published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal about the decision by Indian government officials to impose a moratorium on genetically modified Brinjal (eggplant).

Rao believes this decision by the Indian government is not based on science. He writes that genetically modified crops, including Bt Brinjal, have been thoroughly tested and evaluated.  In fact, “about 200 scientists and experts from over 15 public and private-sector institutions” participated in the agronomic and biosecurity evaluation of Bt brinjal from 2000-2009. The group found the crop safe for food and feed use and approved Bt Brinjal for commercialization in October, 2009.

Rao argues that this decision by the Indian government disproportionately hurts Indian farmers, and echoes the sentiments of Rajesh Kumar, an Indian farmer who recently published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal criticizing the government’s decision to restrict biotech crop use. Farmers in India lose between “50-70 percent of their annual marketable eggplant yield to two insects” every year. Through an advanced gene Bt Brinjal can withstand the pests and farmers can produce more yields. The same gene has been inserted successfully into several other biotech crops such as cotton, corn and potatoes.

Despite the proven success of these biotech crops and the relief they can bring by increasing food yields, he believes the Indian government reacted to misleading claims about biotech crops when issuing this decision. Rao believes that this rejection of science will only hinder India’s progress and delay the commercialization of a crop that could benefit millions.

Indian farmer Rajesh Kumar published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal today that expresses his discontent with the Indian government’s recent decision to deny the use of genetically modified (GM) brinjal (eggplant) by Indian farmers.

Mr. Kumar describes the potential gains from GM brinjal, including the need for fewer pesticide applications since the crop has a built-in resistance to pests. He writes that this quality would allow for the cultivation of better and safer foods. Additionally, Mr. Kumar writes that the adoption of GM brinjal would be economically beneficial for India by improving farm production and thus reducing the economic disparity between the rich and poor in India. The opportunity for higher yields will also help fight malnutrition in India, a concern that is rising with the increasing population. 

Mr. Kumar recognizes that for India to compete and feed its growing population, the farmers must be allowed to participate in the “gene revolution” and utilize all available scientific tools.

You can read Rajesh Kumar’s entire op-ed here. Additionally, the Council for Biotechnology Information interviewed and videotaped Mr. Kumar at the annual World Food Prize Symposium in October 2009. You can watch a video that features an interview with him here.