Search

Frederick Buttel was one of the pioneers in studying the social impacts of biotechnology, claiming originally that it will involve profound changes in social structure. Recently Buttel turned around his argument proposing that, rather than revolutionary, biotechnology is more a "substitutionist" technological form to be applied to declining sectors of the economy than an "epoch-making" technology. This paper provides both external and internal critiques of Buttel's new position based on the concept of the "third technological revolution," looking at the impact of new technologies as a global and interrelated phenomenon, and not on an individual case-by-case basis. The concluding section suggests the necessity of bringing into the analysis those living in the Third World: 60% of this population lives from agriculture and will be affected by the deployment of agricultural biotechnologies, whether through "substitutionism" or through totally new products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Agricultural biotechnology (e.g. genetically modified (GM) crop technology) is rapidly growing and has immense potential to contribute to sustainable agriculture in developing countries. However, due to the privatization and increased intellectual property rights (IPRs) protection, many people in the developing world find it very difficult to access modern biotechnology research tools (e.g. genetic engineering, micro-propagation, mutation breeding etc.) to improve agricultural productivity. This paper reviews the existing open source literature and draws parallels between the open source paradigm and the effect of IPRs on agricultural biotechnology. Using standard qualitative research methodology and examining specific case studies and initiatives, an innovative Open Source Biotechnology Framework (OSBF) is proposed as part of the solution that could address the challenges with IPR and help bring about sustainable agriculture. This paper further examines the potential impacts, constraints, and adoption of open source for agricultural biotechnology. The paper concludes with a summary of issues arising from adopting the open source paradigm in agricultural biotechnology while proposing a way forward. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The use of conventional breeding techniques and biotechnology to improve the micronutrient quality of staple crops is a new strategy to address micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. This strategy, referred to as "biofortification," is being developed and implemented through the international alliance of HarvestPlus to improve iron, zinc, and vitamin A status in low-income populations.Objective: The objective of this paper is to review the challenges faced by nutritionists to determine and demonstrate the ability of biofortified crops to have an impact on the nutritional and health status of target populations.Methods: We reviewed available published and unpublished information that is needed to design and evaluate this strategy, including issues related to micronutrient retention in staple foods, micronutrient bioavailability from plant foods, and evidence for the efficacy of high-micronutrient-content staple foods to improve micronutrient status.Results: Further information is needed on the retention of micronutrients in staple foods, in particular of provitamin A carotenoids, when stored and prepared under different conditions. The low bioavailability of iron from staple foods and the ability to demonstrate an impact on zinc status are specific challenges that need to be addressed. In target countries, infections and other micronutrient deficiencies may confound the ability to affect micronutrient status, and this must be taken into account in community-based studies.Conclusions: Information to date suggests that biofortification has the potential to contribute to increased micronutrient intakes and improved micronutrient status. The success of this strategy will require the collaboration between health and agriculture sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disputes continue to flare over acceptable safety standards for biotechnology products, and the potential for these technologies to address agricultural needs. Benefits have been documented for a limited number of genetically modified (GM) crops, however, official permission to plant GM seeds in developing countries has not been granted in most countries. Six country studies examined regulatory decision-making, efficiencies, and bottlenecks for GM crops. Building on these, a Conceptual Framework is proposed for implementing biosafety. The paper then highlights political, trade, and market issues external to the Framework, and concludes with recommendations to help unlock GM safety approvals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the report submitted by the Kenyan authorities in 2010 related to the contaminated bags of corn found in the country with fungal poisons known as aflatoxins, highly poisonous toxins. It discusses several facts which include production of aflatoxins from Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, their effects on corn (maize), nuts, and other crops during periods of drought stress and intense heat and inadequate monitoring of aflatoxin contamination in developing countries.

By late in the twentieth century, scientists had succeeded in manipulating organisms at the genetic level, mainly by gene transfer. The major impact of this technology has been seen in the spread of genetically modified (GM) crops, which has occurred with little controversy in some areas and with fierce controversy elsewhere. GM crops raise a very wide range of questions, and I address three areas of particular interest for anthropology and its allied fields. First are the political-economic aspects of GM, which include patenting of life forms and new relationships among agriculture, industry, and the academy. Second is the wide diversity in response and resistance to the technology. Third is the much-debated question of GM crops for the developing world. This analysis is approached first by determining what controls research agendas and then by evaluating actual impacts of crops to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial biotechnology promises to help improve food security in Africa by providing alternative farm inputs for crop and livestock production, improving the processing of animal and plant products (and remains) and providing an additional market for farmers. Such innovations could diversify rural economies, create jobs and promote the development of environmentally and economically sustainable agro-industries. However, some of the challenges, such as limited international markets for agricultural products, high tariffs on semi-processed and processed exports, the weak local scientific base, lack of investment and diplomacy skills among others, threaten to limit the impact of biotechnology in Africa. This paper explores a number of these issues from an African perspective and seeks to highlight the options Africa could adopt to realise the benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the empirical evidence on genetically modified (GM) crop adoption and its impact on developing countries. According to the article, the first GM crops were officially commercialized in the United States in 1995, by 2004, GM crops were already grown by more than eight million farmers in 17 countries on a total area of 81 million hectares. According to experts, this is the fastest diffusion of any new crop technology in the history of humankind. The article also analyzed adoption constraints and briefly discussed some policy implications.

The article focuses on the key factors influencing the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies and natural resource management practices in developing countries. The author also identifies several key characteristics of systems which help explain observed patterns of adoption, and which recent research has suggested as critical limitations to their diffusion. Investments and policies needed to improve the dissemination and adoption of sustainable agriculture and natural resource management technologies, practices and systems are also discussed.

In 2015 under nourishment and famine will still be at higher levels than the targets set by the World Food Conference. Agricultural biotechnology is the major technological innovation to be made available to farmers after the end of the green revolution. The research activities of the biotech community, to provide solutions to the agricultural production problems, is intense and the results might be far reaching. The development of those technologies has been at times controversial but economic analysis of their impact have shown that producers and consumers, especially in developing countries, can benefit substantially. Although agricultural biotechnology is not a silver bullet to solve food insecurity problems, it can provide a significant help. Those technologies however need to be linked to the real needs of farmers and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces the studies concerning crop innovations in developing countries, published in the December 2005 issue of the periodical "American Journal of Agricultural Economics." According to the studies, the evidence on use of crop biotechnology in developing economies remains slight, only herbicide tolerance and insect resistance are used in the four crops grown, which include cotton, maize, soybean and canola, in a total of eleven countries.