GM Crops Contributed to Poverty Alleviation

GM crops have contributed to the alleviation of poverty for many farmers, said Prof. Diran Makinde of the University of Venda in South Africa, in his presentation to Biovision. Makinde called for new approaches to ensure sustainable food production in developing countries, especially in Africa, including using biotechnology in crop production.

Makinde referred to a study carried out in South Africa in 2002 in which Bt maize and Bt cotton were compared to non-Bt crop varieties and the Bt varieties, in both cases, were found to produce a higher yield and generate more profits to African farmers. Makinde questioned the European Union’s (EU) stance on genetically modified (GM) crops and its present policies on agricultural biotechnology which make it difficult especially to developing countries that engage in agricultural trade with the EU. European consumers generally perceive GM foods to be ‘contaminated’ and therefore developing countries that are dependent on the markets in Europe do not wish to grow them and are losing out on vast socio-economic benefits.

Read the press release at http://www.europabio.org/GreenManifesto/PRESS_RELEASE-AFRICABIO_REPORT.doc