Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 5 • Number 9 • 13th May 2005
FAO Study Surveys Biotech in Developing Countries
Discuss this articleShare your views with other visitors, and read what they have to say
A new study released on 6 May by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on the status of research and application of crop biotechnologies in developing countries shows that while several developing countries have well-developed biotech research and development programs, there are several gaps that prevent developing countries from using the technology to its full advantage. The study on Status of Research and Application of Crop Biotechnologies in Developing Countries: A preliminary Assessment, which is based on the FAO’s extensive database of biotechnology research in developing countries (the FAO-BioDeC), finds that while non-agricultural biotechnology is used widely in developing countries in the form of biopesticides, biofertilizers, fermentation, tissue culture and crop disease diagnostic techniques. Genetically modified (GMO) crops, however, are unevenly distributed geographically and are less popular in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Near East.
Many of the GM crops that have been field-tested and/or commercialised in developing countries are from developed countries and focus on just a few traits (such as herbicide tolerance or insect pest resistance) and a few crops (such as maize, cotton and soybean). The study argues that biotech products that meet the needs of developing countries, such as through addressing the problem of drought or post-harvest losses of crops, are essential. It points to research in developing countries on other crops, such as banana, cassava, cowpea, plantain, rice and sorghum, and on traits relevant for food security, such as food quality and ability to resist non-living threats called “abiotic stresses” such as droughts and low soil fertility. The presence of national legal frameworks on biosafety and appropriate models for intellectual property rights for access to GM technology are seen as essential to ensure that developing countries reap the benefits of biotechnology.
Add a comment
Enter your details and a comment below, then click Submit Comment. We’ll review and publish the best comments.