Shatha Daqaq – Florine Etame – Chiara Marenco GMOs and FOOD SECURITY

A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Recombinant Dna technology uses DNA molecules from different sources in order to combine them into one molecule to create a new set of genes. Food security means access by all members at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, and an assured ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. (FAO) International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development

Global Area of Biotech Crops in 2008: by Country (Million Hectares) For the first time, there is a lead country commercializing Bt crops in each of the 3 principal regions of the continent: South Africa, Burkina Faso and Egypt

According to the United Nations, worldwide more than 900 million people are undernourished. But this situation is expected to worse by 2050, when the world’s population will increase by 50% and the world’s cultivable land will decrease by 50%, placing new pressures on global agriculture. International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development

Many global organization have acknowledged the potential of biotechnology to address food insecurity: “the application of modern biotechnology in food and agriculture has the potential to reduce some problems associated with food insecurity.” 2 005, the World Health Organization’s Food Safety Department “biotechnology can contribute to meeting the challenges” faced by poor farmers and developing countries. UN officials indicated that agricultural biotechnology is a complementary tool to traditional farming methods that can help poor farmers and consumers, and improve food security”. 2004, The United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization

They recognized that biotechnology can play an important role in fighting food insecurity by:  expanding and enhancing the global food supply (by increasing productivity per hectare);  decreasing cost of production (by decreasing the amounts of certain inputs, i.e. less ploughing and fewer pesticide applications); improving the economics of poor rural communities and food access 50% of the world’s poorest people are small and resource-poor farmers, and another 20% are the rural landless completely dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. Thus, increasing income of small and resource-poor farmers contributes directly to the poverty alleviation of a large majority (70%) of the world’s poorest people. Biotech cotton in India, China and South Africa and biotech maize in the Philippines and South Africa have already made a significant contribution to the income of over 12 million poor farmers. International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development

GMO Benefits: IIncreased productivity and yield; Who is applying GMO technique? Developing or developed countries? Does the yield go to the hungry?  Reduced Production Cost :  spray;  chemicals;  reduced or stable prices for consumers; Who is gaining? Poor farmers, consumers or big companies?

International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development BBetter control of:  nutrition;  allergy problems;  insect pests;  herbicides;  disease resistance; ccapability of surviving under harsh conditions. Is the modification safe?  Conserve natural resources, habitat and indigenous animal; Can the soil stand the massive planning or it will eventually collapse? GMO Benefits:

International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development India 31%39%US$250/ha China 9.6%60%US$220/ha South Africa 11%60%US$35/ha Δ pesticidesΔ profitabilityΔ yieldCountry

International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development

Negative effects on human health:  “Agrotoxicos” severely damaging (women loosing their children from womb, stunts grow in children, respiratory problems for adults, cancers.….);  Transfer of allergenic genes/or antibiotic resistance and other unknown effects;  The risk to have unauthorized GMO products in the food chain (e.g. gmo intended for animal could be used accidentally in products for human consumption). International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development

Negative effects on the environment:  Genes can end up in unexpected places: through the notion of “gene escape", interactions might occur and problems result (e.g. herbicide resistance genes go into weed);  Genes can mutate with harmful effects: it is not well known if it would remain stable in the plant over generations;  GMOs could be a threat to other plants and wild species, flora and fauna biodiversity. International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development

Negative socio economic effects:  Loss of farmers’ access to plant material and land: dominance by few private powerful companies has negative impact on small – scale farmers all over the world;  Intellectual property right could slow down research by preventing access to public-sector research;  The impact of “terminator technologies” still under development but which if applied would prevent a crop from being grown the following year from its own seed.  Failed expectations (India/Monsanto) International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development

Millennium Development Goals “Agriculture is a vital development tool for achieving the Millennium Development Goals that calls for halving by 2015 the share of people suffering from extreme poverty and hunger” (World Bank, 2008). International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development GMOs ACCESS TO A REGULAR STREAM OF TECHNOLOGY CREDIT ACCESS MARKET ACCESS RISK REDUCTION ADJUSTMENT OF DESTORTING TRADE POLICIES EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES

Shatha Daqaq - Florine Etame - Chiara Marenco International Master Programme in Cooperation and Development