U.N. Report Recognizes Biotech Can Feed the World

July 12, 2001

A recently released report by the United Nations advises the world's richer countries to put aside some of the baseless fears of biotechnology and focus on feeding poorer, developing nations. "Biotechnology offers the only, or the best, 'tool of choice' for marginal ecological zones left behind by the green revolution, but home to more than half the world's poorest people," claimed the U.N.'s 2001 Human Development Report.

Fred Yoder, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Biotech Working Group chairman, pointed out the need for education on the benefits will help biotechnology to overcome the myths. "When we visited Europe recently, one of the stories that kept coming back to us was how the U.S. eats only organic crops, and we ship all our (biotech) food overseas. That simply isn't true," said Yoder. "Biotechnology has the potential to feed the poor countries of the world, but we have to get past stereotypes and false stories so people will realize the benefits instead of the unfounded dangers."

The U.N. report acknowledges that the mistrust of biotech in Europe and other developed countries can be attributed to the language used to describe the technology. "Language itself has become a political weapon," the report said. "(Words such as) 'traitor technologies' and 'frankenfoods' deliberately engender fear and anxiety."

Even though activists continue to rally against biotechnology, in the five years since it was introduced in 1996, the land usage for biotech crops has increased a staggering 2,200%. "For many growers," said Yoder, "biotech has the potential to increase their earning potential and we need to open more opportunities like that for farmers who want to produce Bt corn."

To view the UN's Human Development Report, go to: http://www.undp.org/hdr2001/. For more information on biotech, visit the NCGA website at: http://www.ncga.com/biotechnology/main/index.html.