Novel Educational Cartoon on Biotech Crops -"Mandy" & "Fanny

A novel educational cartoon featuring two characters, "Mandy" and "Fanny" is off the press. It illustrates the attributes of biotech/genetically modified (GM) crops, and discusses how they are gaining rapid adoption, increasing income and impacting the lives of millions of farmers and consumers worldwide. Mandy & Fanny: The Future of Sustainable Agriculture authored by Bhagirath Choudhary and Kadambini Gaur of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) South Asia Office narrates the story of two biotech crops, which have been grown in 29 countries on millions of hectares since 1996.

In only 15 years, subsequent to the first commercialization in 1996, the accumulated biotech crops hectarage exceeded an unprecedented 1 billion hectares in 2010 - a historical milestone which signifies that biotech crops have gained the confidence of millions of farmers and consumers worldwide and are here to stay.

The 60-page educational cartoon publication features a lively dialogue between Mandy (biotech maize) and Fanny (biotech cotton). Eye-catching frames presents factual messages about biotech crops as contributors to sustainable agriculture.

Dr. Clive James, Founder and Chairman of ISAAA commented that "Sharing knowledge with young people about the new technologies of the 21st century, such as biotech crops, is vital, because they will be the decision-makers of tomorrow. The educational cartoon illustrations will enhance the understanding of children and young people about the utility and safety of biotech crops, which represent an essential element in a global strategy that will contribute to food security and the alleviation of poverty in developing countries".

For more information, contact Bhagirath Choudhary at b.choudhary@cgiar.org.