Developing countries may not get benefits of GM food
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《英国医生杂志》
Developing countries that do not adapt quickly to new developments in genetic modification technology face missing out on potentially huge health benefits, a report published by the World Health Organization says. The report argues that genetically modified foods can help to combat hunger and malnutrition in the developing world but that market forces mean that developing countries are in danger of missing out on the benefits.
A new type of rice, known as golden rice, is one of the crops that the authors say has great potential. The rice, currently only at the development stage, contains high quantities of vitamin A and may help to tackle the eyesight problems and infant mortality caused by a deficiency in many parts of the developing world. Rice rich in iron may confer similar nutritional benefits.
But the organisation warns that the biotechnology industry will not necessarily deliver innovation to those who need it most. The concentration of research in the private sector means that companies are unlikely to tailor products to the needs of poorer countries if they will see little financial return, they say. In addition, poor countries may not have the infrastructure needed to assess new products for health and safety.
Genetically modified crops have been on the market since the mid-1990s, and now cover an estimated 4% of global arable land. Crops farmed include soybeans, maize, rape, and cotton. WHO hopes that the rise of genetically modified crops, including those with added pest and weed resistance, will help provide new sources of food for the developing world.
If population predictions for the next 25 years are correct, grain production will need to increase by 26 million tonnes a year, the organisation says. Genetically modified foods offer the possibility of developing crops that are more resistant to extreme conditions and have a longer shelf life, allowing farmers to preserve staple crops. Genetically modified crops with inbuilt pest and weed resistance have already been shown to reduce harmful effects from fertilisers and pesticides.
"Insect resistant cotton in China is a clear example," said Sandy Thomas, director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, who welcomed the report. "There has been a significant reduction in the amount of pesticides used by Chinese farmers and this has shown a 60% reduction in the number of farmers suffering from toxic effects. There is also likely to be less environmental danger."
The organisation remains generally sceptical of the health concerns surrounding genetically modified crops. " foods currently available on the international market have undergone risk assessments and are not likely to present risks to human health in any other form than their conventional counterparts," reads the report. However the organisation admits, "Very little is known about the potential long term effects of any food."(Madeleine Brettingham)
A new type of rice, known as golden rice, is one of the crops that the authors say has great potential. The rice, currently only at the development stage, contains high quantities of vitamin A and may help to tackle the eyesight problems and infant mortality caused by a deficiency in many parts of the developing world. Rice rich in iron may confer similar nutritional benefits.
But the organisation warns that the biotechnology industry will not necessarily deliver innovation to those who need it most. The concentration of research in the private sector means that companies are unlikely to tailor products to the needs of poorer countries if they will see little financial return, they say. In addition, poor countries may not have the infrastructure needed to assess new products for health and safety.
Genetically modified crops have been on the market since the mid-1990s, and now cover an estimated 4% of global arable land. Crops farmed include soybeans, maize, rape, and cotton. WHO hopes that the rise of genetically modified crops, including those with added pest and weed resistance, will help provide new sources of food for the developing world.
If population predictions for the next 25 years are correct, grain production will need to increase by 26 million tonnes a year, the organisation says. Genetically modified foods offer the possibility of developing crops that are more resistant to extreme conditions and have a longer shelf life, allowing farmers to preserve staple crops. Genetically modified crops with inbuilt pest and weed resistance have already been shown to reduce harmful effects from fertilisers and pesticides.
"Insect resistant cotton in China is a clear example," said Sandy Thomas, director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, who welcomed the report. "There has been a significant reduction in the amount of pesticides used by Chinese farmers and this has shown a 60% reduction in the number of farmers suffering from toxic effects. There is also likely to be less environmental danger."
The organisation remains generally sceptical of the health concerns surrounding genetically modified crops. " foods currently available on the international market have undergone risk assessments and are not likely to present risks to human health in any other form than their conventional counterparts," reads the report. However the organisation admits, "Very little is known about the potential long term effects of any food."(Madeleine Brettingham)