Two eminent experts on food security say that biotechnology can address problems related to global climate change. “Biotechnology can play a helpful role in addressing the long-term sustainability issue and climate change. It is much more relevant for developing countries, than it is for developed countries. This is because of the emerging consequences of climate change, and because of the existing problems on food scarcity and food quality”, said Joachim von Braun, director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington DC, USA.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, an agricultural scientist known as ‘The Father of the Green Revolution ‘ in India, adds that "Biotechnology can offer new ways to address climate change. Drought tolerance can be built into crops, for instance rice, by transferring genes.” Opportunities abound by combining traditional and modern technologies like genetic modification and marker assisted selection, Swaminathan explained.

The full interviews with both experts are available at http://www.globalchange-discussion.org/interview/joachim_von_braun/full_interview and http://www.globalchange-discussion.org/interview/ms_swaminathan/full_interview.

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