100+ Agri Orgs and Scientists Applaud WFP's Biotech Focus

More than one hundred agricultural organizations and academics have expressed their appreciation for The World Food Prize's theme "The Next Borlaug Century: Biotechnology, Sustainability and Climate Volatility". The award is given to individuals with exemplary contribution in improving the quality and quantity of global food supply.

One of the letters to the WFP Foundation indicated that "feeding a world population of nine billion people by 2050 in the face of increasingly severe weather and environmental conditions simply cannot be done without the full benefit of modern science and biotechnology." Another group commented that "the genetically modified seeds that are being released today produce higher yields while using less water and fewer inputs, thus promoting sustainability by placing fewer burdens on the environment. These seeds are critical tools in meeting the challenges of global food security and climate volatility."

This year's winners were Dr. Marc Van Montagu of Belgium, and Dr. Mary-Dell Chilton and Dr. Robert T. Fraley of the United States, who are all involved in crop biotechnology research.

Read the original article at http://www.biotech-now.org/food-and-agriculture/2013/10/100-ag-organizations-and-academics-applaud-world-food-prizes-biotech-focus?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1003. For more information about the winners, read http://www.isaaa.org/kc/cropbiotechupdate/article/default.asp?ID=11115.