• Key issues
• Biotechnology and development - an overview
  • Biotechnology and development - an overview
  • Poverty reduction and food security: impacts of GM crops
  • Regulating GM crops
  • The role of the private sector and corporate control
  • Public participation and the politics of policy
• Biotechnology and governance
  • Biotechnology and governance
  • GM crops and climate change
  • Developing countries' experiences with GM crops
  • GM crops and food security
  • Trade, regulation and approaches to science policy
  • Developing appropriate technology: Africa and China
  • Citizen rights, participation and democratisation

Key issues

Biotechnology and development - an overview

Q. Shen / Panos Pictures

A decade ago there was much hope and hype about the potential of genetically modified (GM) crops to feed the world and solve many poverty and development issues. One side argued that technologies for dealing with drought and pests amounted to a new ‘gene revolution’ to pull small-scale farmers out of poverty. Others predicted GM crops would result in environmental and health catastrophes and the global domination of agriculture by a handful of corporations. What has emerged over the past decade is a far more complex story. Have GM crops had a positive impact on development? What are the realistic prospects of a pro-poor gene revolution? This key issues guide reviews the GM debate and recommends further reading.

Biotechnology and governance

J. Banning / Panos Pictures

The great majority of the transgenic (genetically modified, GM) crops commercialised to date have been particularly targeted towards large-scale commercial farmers. But smallholder farmers in China, India and South Africa have been growing GM crops for several years, while transgenic varieties of subsistence food crops, with traits such as drought-tolerance, are under development. There has been a recent surge of attention – and funding – to stimulate new scientific and technological solutions to the challenges facing smallholder agriculture, especially in Africa. Poorer farmers and consumers stand to be strongly affected – positively or negatively – by such advances. This key issues guide reviews these issues and recommends further reading.