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Is Biotechnology the Answer to Africa’s Hunger Crisis?

Is Biotechnology the Answer to Africa’s Hunger Crisis?. Philippe Blum Lydia McMullen-Laird Megan Touhey. The Promise: . poverty alleviation increasing crop productivity income generation safer environment and more sustainable agricultural development. Possible Benefits.

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Is Biotechnology the Answer to Africa’s Hunger Crisis?

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  1. Is Biotechnology the Answer to Africa’s Hunger Crisis? Philippe Blum Lydia McMullen-Laird Megan Touhey

  2. The Promise: • poverty alleviation • increasing crop productivity • income generation • safer environment and more sustainable agricultural development

  3. Possible Benefits • Increased crop yield • Disease resistant strains • Less agricultural chemical use • Cost efficiency • Less import need

  4. GM Acreage Per Country Source: http://pewagbiotech.org/resources/issuebriefs/feedtheworld.pdf

  5. Case Study: Argentina • Argentina is the World’s second largest user of GM crops after the United States

  6. Cereal Production, Fertilizer Use and Average Yields in South America

  7. What Happened to Argentina? • Food prices rose 35.3 % • Farm sizes have increased causing more rainforest destruction for cropland use • More focus on exports, less focus on local food supply

  8. Argentina Continued: • Decline in Nutrition Levels • Less power to the people • Business vs. Local Farming

  9. Food Aid Refusal Zambia: • Why did Zambia refuse food aid containing GMO’s? www.wikipedia.org

  10. Perceived Risks: • Disruption of local agricultural systems • Disruption of local economy • Export opportunities at risk • 50% of exports go to Europe • Endemic plant species at risk

  11. “We may be poor and experiencing food shortages, but are not ready to expose people to ill defined risks.” Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa He also pleaded that Zambians should not be used as guinea pigs

  12. A look at the Real Risks… • Environment • Economy • Ethical, Moral and Social Impacts

  13. The Environmental Effects • Invasive to Native Plants • Threat to Biodiversity (Gene flow) • Potential Emergence of unknown viruses/diseases • New Allergens

  14. $ The Economy $ • Export Opportunities • Monopoly of seed supply • Damage local economy (inequality) • High seed costs

  15. Moral, Ethical and Social Debates • Dietary Preference • Genetically Engineered Animals/Humans • Man’s Domination of Nature • Patenting Life

  16. Lack of respect or consideration for the slow process of evolution • Instant Evolution • Developing countries as guinea pigs

  17. Alternatives • Push-Pull Strategies • Organic and Traditional Farming Methods

  18. What YOU can do • Inform yourself • Support local and organic farming • Demand the labeling of Genetically Engineered Products

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