BY ARUNA GANESAN
BANDAR SUNWAY: A recent forum held in conjunction with the documentary Food Evolution directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy pushed the global pro-GMO agenda a notch higher.
Panellists from various countries including Malaysia, Belgium, Philippines, India, and Kenya [ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”2,3,5″ ihc_mb_template=”1″ ] who watched the movie at Monash University Malaysia here – lent their thoughts on food created through genetically modified organisms – the subject of the movie, and a long-standing cause celebre that has kept scientists and international green organisations on tenterhooks.
“A lot of debate is about DNA technologies which are being subjugated by the people who live far away from where challenges and needs are felt.
“Young people are absolutely ignoring a part of a solution for the problem of feeding the world, especially in Africa, which is not able to access new food producing technology,” says Dr Margaret Karembu, Director of the ISAAA AfriCenter who was overwhelmed by the movie.
Professor Piet van der Meer from the Public Research and Regulation Initiative (PRRI) pointed out the ironic behaviour of people toward technology in general.
He said: “In Europe, people always wanted the latest technology. May it be the cell phone, cars or even computer but not food. We have the same food that we had a century ago.”
South Asia Biotechnology Centre director, Bhagirath Choudhary said: “The biggest challenge for a government is to distribute equal food to the public. For the governments in South Asia, food is something that is very critical. If they ever come across one death due to lack of food, the public has the right to question the government.”
Former regulator and now a lecturer in Quest University, Dr Vilasini Pillay shared her knowledge on the achievement in biotechnology in Malaysia to the audience, saying: “We can be proud to say that our law had guidelines for GMO/LMO (Living Modified Organism) since 1996, and that is even before the formulation of biotechnology by the Malaysian government in 2005.
“After a long debate, our biosafety department has finally come up with guidelines for the contained use of LMO in 2007,” she added. According to Dr Barbara Mugwanya, coordinator at the Uganda Biosciences Information Center (Ubic), banana is a crop which is as important as rice in Asia. But it is saddening to say that we import bananas because of plant diseases and government regulation. And that is why the farmers have urged scientists to find new solutions through biotechnology.”
A student from Sunway University brought up a question at the forum: “If the world embraces GMO as the only hope for the farmers, what will be the next concern for biotechnologists?”
To this van der Meer answered, “This may happen. If everyone uses the same technology, the government should make sure that the supply from the gene banks should be kept up to date. Farmers will buy the successful seed if it is affordable and cheaper than the unsuccessful seed.”
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