Biotechnology, especially its applications in agriculture, can help solve the world’s most pressing problems such as world hunger, malnutrition, and rapid degradation of our environment. While most of agricultural biotechnology’s promises are yet to be experienced with the emergence of crops with new traits, several countries that have adopted biotechnology are already enjoying the promised benefits.

Better Food

More than 2 billion people are malnourished, living below the per capita daily caloric intake of 2,350 as recommended by the United Nations – Food and Agriculture Organization. Malnutrition is manifested in many ways, one of which is Vitamin A deficiency – a notable cause of blindness and even death in children. Vitamin A deficiency affects about 140 million children in 54 countries, especially in Africa.

Malnutrition due to Vitamin A deficiency can be curbed with golden rice – rice that is genetically modified to contain Vitamin A precursor beta-carotene. Because rice is staple to less developed Asian countries, golden rice will be instrumental in alleviating malnourishment in Asian children due to vitamin A-deficiency.

Biotechnology can help minimize health risks associated with foods produced by traditional methods. Efforts are being made to remove allergens found in peanuts and soybeans or to decrease undesirable compounds like linolenic acid. Some crops are also being enhanced by increasing the content of desirable compounds like oleic acid and laurate in soybean. Some products of agricultural biotechnology that are in the pipeline are

• allergy-free soybean
• cancer-fighting tomatoes (high lycopene and enriched with flavonols)
• soybean and canola oils with higher levels of Vitamin E
• decaffeinated coffee
• bananas that deliver a hepatitis vaccine
• potatoes that can protect against cholera and E. coli

More Food on Less Land

The world’s demand for food is expected to double by 2025. The United Nations Population Fund estimates that by that time, there will be another 2 billion mouths to feed. This means that farmers will need to at least double production in order to feed the world. If food production is to be increased, an increasing fraction of our forestlands must be sacrificed to increase arable land area for food crops.

With biotechnology, it is possible to increase food production without felling down precious trees and consequently destroying wildlife habitat. Corn, soybean, cotton and other important food crops have already been genetically modified to naturally combat pests, weeds, and plant diseases. Pest and disease resistance prevents loss of food due to pest and disease infestation. Examples of crops conferred with this agronomic trait are Bt corn (corn that contains Bt protein, which combats corn borers) and papaya that is resistant to the ringspot virus.

Products in the pipeline are crops that can tolerate cold, drought, and salt; can flourish in acidic soil; and can withstand weather or climatic stress like flood and typhoon. These products can be very beneficial to Filipino farmers because so much of our rice and corn are lost due to periodic typhoons and occasionally, due to drought (El Niño). In China, 33 million acres of land are saline, which is why their scientists are already developing plants that can tolerate salinity.

Better Environment

Equally important among biotechnology’s benefits is the reduction of our farmers’ dependence on agricultural chemicals. Several studies have already illustrated the environmental benefits of biotech crops. In 2000, since the adoption of biotech crops in 1996, total global reduction in pesticide use was estimated at 22.3 million kilograms of formulated products. In China, the use of Bt cotton (cotton genetically modified to combat cotton bollworms) led to a 60-80% reduction (15,000 tons) in the use of foliar insecticides. Farmers of herbicide tolerant soybean spray less because they now need only one herbicide (glyphosate), which is known to have very low toxicity, quickly degrades, and is classified by the US Food and Drug Authority as non-carcinogenic.

As a result of the dramatic decrease in agrochemical consumption, biodiversity and wildlife are enhanced. More insect species have been found in BT cornfields than in traditional cornfields. Soil, air, and water quality are improved. Most importantly, farmers and farm workers can be assured of better health due to lesser dependence on harmful agrochemicals.