Multi-nutrient rice against malnutrition
Reading Time: < 1 minuteRESEARCHERS from ETH Zurich led by Navreet Bhullar from the Institute of Molecular Plant Biology have genetically modified (GM) one of the most commonly grown varieties of rice. The ETH researchers developed rice lines with iron increases equaling more than 90 per cent of the recommended iron content and up to 170 per cent of […]
GMOs key to saving world from hunger
Reading Time: < 1 minuteDURING the 68th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting held on June 24-29, Nobel Laureate Sir Richard J. Roberts delivered an Agora Talk about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) emphasising the benefits of GMOs and how they can provide nutritious food to developing countries across the globe. Roberts, who is leading the initiative “Laureates Letter Supporting Precision Agriculture […]
Kenya plants biotech cotton under national performance trials
Reading Time: 2 minutesKENYA is one step away from commercialising Bt cotton following the commencement of National Performance Trials (NPTs) to identify suitable varieties for different agroecological zones. This comes after the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) granted an Environmental Impact Assessment license to Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Fisheries Organisation (KALRO) to undertake the trials. The planting began […]
DNA comes alive to form two students
Reading Time: < 1 minuteKUALA LUMPUR: As part of the STEM initiative by Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan St. Mary, Laboratory Ind Resources (LIR) and Malaysia Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC) were invited on July 4th, 2018, to educate the students on DNA science and its relation to, genetically modified organisms (GMO). [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ]
ISAAA: The ‘green’ way forward with biotech crops
Reading Time: 3 minutesBIOTECH CROPS offer enormous benefits to the environment as well as contribute to the enhancement of both, human and animal health. They also largely contribute to improving and upgrading the socioeconomic status of famers and crop producers everywhere, and more so in third world countries in Africa and Asia. This was the take home message […]
Golden Rice meets food safety standard
Reading Time: 2 minutesLOS BANOS, PHILIPPINES: GR2E Golden Rice, a provitamin A biofortified rice variety, completed its third positive food safety evaluation, this time from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). In an official response received by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on May 24, the US FDA concurred with IRRI’s assessment regarding the […]
Is monoculture a bad thing? It’s time to revise simplistic ideological narrative
Reading Time: 6 minutesBY ANDREW PORTERFIELD IN a Nebraska field, thousands of acres of winter wheat stretch to the horizon. In California, workers pick strawberries in a field that has grown no other crop for the past eight years. And in Maryland, a single tomato plant grows in a single pot. What do these have in common? They […]
‘Food Evolution’ screened for legislators
Reading Time: 2 minutesMORE than 60 people composed largely of legislators, legislative staff, and students “feasted on facts” as the film’s tagline puts it, during the special screening of the documentary, Food Evolution, held on May 23 at the Philippine House of Representatives. The film was shown as part of the Biotechnology Exhibit themed: Our Nation’s Challenge, Our […]
Scratching the surface: why mandatory GMO feeding studies do not make sense
Reading Time: 4 minutesIt’s time to scratch the surface, and recognise that advanced plant breeding methods, including GM crops, can really make a positive impact, writes Julian Little. BY JULIAN LITTLE ANIMAL testing of cosmetics in Europe isn’t fashionable, certainly not when it comes to consumer products like lipstick and eye shadow or face cream. It doesn’t fit […]
Mabic trains biosafety professionals on risk communication
Reading Time: 2 minutesPUTRAJAYA: The Biosafety Department of Malaysia (JBK) recently engaged Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (Mabic) to train its regulators and enforcement officers on risk communication related to living modified organisms (LMOs). Risk communication is a branch of science communication that is highly effective in situations where there is low trust, high concern and for topics that […]