GM crops in developing countries: full discussion paper
GM crops in developing countries: full discussion paper
GM crops in developing countries: full discussion paper
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
The use of genetically modified <strong>crops</strong> <strong>in</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g <strong>countries</strong><br />
quality of soil is <strong>in</strong> many places poor or actually decreas<strong>in</strong>g, due to erosion, sal<strong>in</strong>ation, loss<br />
of micronutrients and accumulation of heavy metals. 13 Agricultural progress therefore has<br />
to depend on <strong>in</strong>creased yields.<br />
2.13 To safeguard the environment from degradation, it is <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly important to achieve<br />
higher agricultural production by more productive and more conservative use of water and<br />
land already devoted to farm<strong>in</strong>g. 14 <strong>GM</strong> technology may well have a significant contribution<br />
to make towards such progress by produc<strong>in</strong>g plants that are more resistant to moisture<br />
stress or highly salty soils. However, commercial companies are unlikely to be <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong><br />
produc<strong>in</strong>g such varieties, primarily because it would be difficult to enforce property rights<br />
and to secure profitable markets for improved seeds. We note with concern that research<br />
on <strong>GM</strong> <strong>crops</strong> which provide employment, <strong>in</strong>come and food for poor people <strong>in</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>countries</strong>, especially rice, wheat, millet, sorghum, cassava, yams and white maize has been<br />
neglected. New research will have to be supported, and also provided primarily by the<br />
public sector (see Chapter 6). In the next chapter, we outl<strong>in</strong>e the potential of contemporary<br />
plant breed<strong>in</strong>g and exam<strong>in</strong>e recent developments relat<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>GM</strong> <strong>crops</strong> which could be of<br />
use to develop<strong>in</strong>g <strong>countries</strong>.<br />
13 FAO Statistics on TERRASTAT database. Available: http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/terrastat/. Accessed on: 29 Oct 2003; FAO<br />
(2000) World Soil Resources Report: Land Resource Potential and Constra<strong>in</strong>ts at Regional and Country Levels (Rome: FAO<br />
UN); Kendall H et al. (1997) The Bioeng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g of Crops: Report of the World Bank Panel on Transgenic Crops<br />
(Wash<strong>in</strong>gton, DC: World Bank). We consider <strong>in</strong> paragraphs 4.28-4.34 the possible effects of exist<strong>in</strong>g or likely <strong>GM</strong> <strong>crops</strong> on<br />
the environment, <strong>in</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g <strong>countries</strong> and more widely.<br />
14 Conway G (1997) The Doubly Green Revolution: Food for All <strong>in</strong> the 21st Century (London: Pengu<strong>in</strong>).<br />
CHAPTER 2 THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT: THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES<br />
17