Solving the Food Crisis With an Unlikely Alliance
A new book argues for a marriage of organic farming and genetic engineering
Pamela: And many people don't realize that in less developed countries, the seed industry is very different. In the past, most of these countries have had national breeding programs that distribute the seed for free. It's a completely different model than what we have in the United States, where virtually all of the seed is privatized.
What's the take-home message of this book, especially for people who aren't particularly interested in agriculture?
Pamela: We haven't really talked about nutrition and land use, and that's often of interest to people who aren't interested in farming. If we hadn't genetically modified our crops by conventional methods over the last 50 years, we would be using twice as much of the Earth's surface to grow the same amount of food. In the future, if we don't increase yields, we'll need to use double the amount of land to produce the same amount of food. In terms of nutrition, vitamin A-enriched GE rice has the potential to save the lives of thousands of children who currently suffer from vitamin A deficiency.
Do you seem to be winning friends with the book?
Pamela: It's a little early to say, but we're getting some comments back. I think there have been a lot of people thinking about this but not publishing widely on this. This situation sort of reminds me of that children's story about the emperor's new clothes. Everybody was afraid to point out the obvious. Once you have a few people calling and saying the emperor has no clothes, I think it will help change things. I think more and more people are starting to speak out.
Reader Comments
GM Foods; The Human Race's Last Stand?
I am deeply disturbed that we are using GM Foods with no idea of the long term consequenses on the human race, and other species that are affected by whatever the GM Foods have been designed for. We are gambling and playing with the survival of all species on earth. In most cases it appears the yield is much the same or less, and the it is only for the benefit of the Seed companies, or like.
I am a financier age 64 who does business all over the world.
Rice cultivation
6/5/08
Dear Prof. Pamela Ronald,
I am deeply concerned about the rice supply situation in the Philippines. A relative told me of a very sad story of an elderly woman who stood patiently for more than two hours at a government rice supply facility during the hottest time of the day. She received barely two pounds of rice (not the best kind), went home and cooked some of it. After less than an hour into her cooking she just dropped dead. I suppose she had heat stroke, and did not even realize it. This incident deeply touched me. I know that food supply is greatly dependent on an effective production and storage. I am also painfully aware that most industrialized and developing economies are to a great extent oil-driven. Thus, when oil prices rise, all other commodities prices will also increase. In the Philippines, rice and other carbohydrate staples are grown mostly with the use of the water buffalo as the main beast of burden, and each rice seedling is planted by hand. My parents had more than 12 hectares (roughly equivalent to 24 acres), which they planted to rice. Their biggest challenge were the yearly typhoons, which can destroy the whole crop of rice, which were ready for harvest. I witnessed one huge typhoon ("Didang" was its name), where rice stalks laden with golden grains floated in the water brought about by the typhoon. Although the rice fields were surrounded with very reliable dikes/irrigation system, yet monsoon rains brought about by the yearly typhoons usually flooded the fields. Dr. Pamela Ronald, since you have been involved in generating a rice variety that is flood resistant, is it possible for you to supply us with seeds. I would like to acquire at least two (2) 50 lb bags of rice seeds, which I can send to my kin folks, who are still in the business of planting rice. Please advise me where I can pick up these flood resistant rice variety. If you can supply them for free, then that would be great, but if not, how much would it cost to purchase about (3)-50 lbs bags of seeds as a starter.
Dr. Ronald, I have been telling my kin folks and friends to supplement their carbohydrate diet with corn and sweet potatoes ( "camote/kamote") and other root crops (yucca=cassava tubers, yams = white taro type/"gabi", purple type locally called "ube") and bananas. These tubers are slightly cheaper than rice and corn. I have also tried to encourage them to plant and eat more vegetables.
Dr. Ronald, can you please advise me where I can also get hold of some bags of brown rice seeds. Brown rice are more fibrous, thus, a lot healthier to eat than the plain white rice.
Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely,
Jo
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