Thursday, April 24, 2008

GMO + Organic Farming = Best for the World?

"HONG KONG (Reuters) - Genetic engineering, combined with organic farming, may be the best way to grow food for a rising population as the world confronts climate change and environmental degradation, a U.S. rice scientist said.

Pamela Ronald, professor at the University of California at Davis, told Reuters on Thursday that the world needed to use every technology available to secure food supplies for the 9.2 billion people expected by 2050, up from 6.7 billion at present.

While genetic engineering can offer new varieties, such as pest-resistant corn, organic farming can help to achieve higher yields without damaging the environment, as it does not use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, Ronald said via telephone."


Read the article