Nobel prize winner calls for compulsory GM studies

U.S. 6/6/2001(Soyatech.com) - A NOBEL Peace prize winner has called forthe introduction of compulsory biology studies among wealthy urban nationsto improve understanding of food and agricultural issues.Dr Norman Borlaug, often described as the father of the "green revolution"said that this understanding would help counter the irrational fearsstirred up by zealots against genetic modification techniques."The intensity of attacks against GMOs by certain groups is unprecedentedand, in certain cases, even surprising given the potential environmentalbenefits that such technology can bring in reducing the use of cropprotection chemicals," he said."It appears that many of the most rabid crop bio-tech opponents are drivenmore by a hatred of capitalism and globalisation than by the actual safetyof transgenic plants.However, the fear they have been able to generate ... among the public isdue in significant measure to the failure of our schools and colleges toteach even rudimentary courses on agriculture."This educational gap has resulted in an enormous majority, even amongwell educated people, who seem totally ignorant of an area of knowledge sobasic to their daily lives and, indeed, to their future survival. We mustbegin to address this ignorance without delay ... by making it compulsoryfor students to study more biology and to understand the working ofagricultural and food systems."Dr Borlaug, who was one of the keynote speakers on the opening day of aninternational biotechnology conference in London last week, said thatalmost all traditional foods were the products of natural mutations andgenetic recombination. Without this process we would still be "slime onthe bottom of some prime evil sea" .He added: "The Green Revolution of the last four decades had led to vastincreases in food supplies at lower prices to millions in developingcountries but it needed to be taken on further with biotechnology; againwith those countries as prime beneficiaries.""But instead the battle over biotech products is being fought mainly inthe rich nations, whose governments collectively subsidise their verysmall farming populations to the tune of $350 billion a year and wheremany of the major problems of human nuitrition are related to obesity."Dr Borlaug urged private life science companies to establish concessionarypricing of GM materials for low income countries and to share theirexpertise with public research institutions and scientists concerned withsmallholder agriculture. He expressed some "uneasiness" at theconcentration in ownership of these life science groups and called ongovernments to establish a stake in GM research to produce "public goods"and to ensure farmers and the public were not held hostage to possibleprivate sector monopolies.His themes were broadly endorsed by Senator George McGovern, US ambassadorto the UN Food and Agriculture agencies, who said he felt strongly aboutthe potential for biotechnology to alleviate hunger and suffering in thedeveloping world.

A NOBEL Peace prize winner has called for the introduction of compulsorybiology studies among wealthy urban nations to improve understanding offood and agricultural issues.Dr Norman Borlaug, often described as the father of the "green revolution"said that this understanding would help counter the irrational fearsstirred up by zealots against genetic modification techniques."The intensity of attacks against GMOs by certain groups is unprecedentedand, in certain cases, even surprising given the potential environmentalbenefits that such technology can bring in reducing the use of cropprotection chemicals," he said."It appears that many of the most rabid crop bio-tech opponents are drivenmore by a hatred of capitalism and globalisation than by the actual safetyof transgenic plants.However, the fear they have been able to generate ... among the public isdue in significant measure to the failure of our schools and colleges toteach even rudimentary courses on agriculture."This educational gap has resulted in an enormous majority, even amongwell educated people, who seem totally ignorant of an area of knowledge sobasic to their daily lives and, indeed, to their future survival. We mustbegin to address this ignorance without delay ... by making it compulsoryfor students to study more biology and to understand the working ofagricultural and food systems."Dr Borlaug, who was one of the keynote speakers on the opening day of aninternational biotechnology conference in London last week, said thatalmost all traditional foods were the products of natural mutations andgenetic recombination. Without this process we would still be "slime onthe bottom of some prime evil sea" .He added: "The Green Revolution of the last four decades had led to vastincreases in food supplies at lower prices to millions in developingcountries but it needed to be taken on further with biotechnology; againwith those countries as prime beneficiaries.""But instead the battle over biotech products is being fought mainly inthe rich nations, whose governments collectively subsidise their verysmall farming populations to the tune of $350 billion a year and wheremany of the major problems of human nuitrition are related to obesity."Dr Borlaug urged private life science companies to establish concessionarypricing of GM materials for low income countries and to share theirexpertise with public research institutions and scientists concerned withsmallholder agriculture. He expressed some "uneasiness" at theconcentration in ownership of these life science groups and called ongovernments to establish a stake in GM research to produce "public goods"and to ensure farmers and the public were not held hostage to possibleprivate sector monopolies.His themes were broadly endorsed by Senator George McGovern, US ambassadorto the UN Food and Agriculture agencies, who said he felt strongly aboutthe potential for biotechnology to alleviate hunger and suffering in thedeveloping world.