U.N. Makes Its Case for Biotech

MEXICO CITY--The 11th annual Human Development Report, released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today, stated that biotechnology may be part of the answer to reducing world poverty. The report, subtitled "Making New Technologies Work for Human Development," focused on world goals for improving human lives through technology.

The UNDP's top goals included cutting in half 1) the number of people living in extreme poverty and 2) the number of people suffering from hunger. According to the UNDP report (www.undp.org), the number of undernourished people in the developing world fell by 40 million between 1990 and 1992 and 1996 to 1998; however, the developing world still has 826 million undernourished people.

As a means to reduce hunger, the UNDP explained in its report that biotechnology can raise crop yields for farmers through gene splicing. It specified that biotechnology will help the world if it is used to "address the key health and agriculture challenges of poor countries . and only if this is done with a systematic approach to assessing and managing risks of harm to human health, environment and social equity."

Some risks outlined in the report included possible toxicity and allergenicity to biotech crops, as well as the potential destabilization of ecosystems and reduction of biodiversity. However, the UNDP stressed that for the sake of developing nations, the possible negative events occurring from biotech crops must be weighed against the potential benefits.

The implementation and enforcement of biotech legislation is also imperative, according to the report. "For the introduction of genetically modified crops, every country needs to create a biosafety system with clear and coherent guidelines, skilled personnel to guide decision-making, an adequate review process and mechanisms for feedback from farmers and consumers," the committee wrote.

In addition, UNDP asked that world governments get involved to construct guidelines and to participate in research for this new agricultural technology. "There is a long way to go before biotechnology's potential is mobilized . Moreover, all governments must devise new institutional and scientific policies to manage the health, environmental and social risks of this new innovation."

St. Louis-based Monsanto, a company well-known for its advances in biotech agriculture, issued a statement about the UNDP report, saying it was a welcome and timely review of biotechnology's potential to help underdeveloped countries. "We believe this report puts an important focus on the benefits that biotechnology can bring, in addition to highlighting key issues regarding safe and effective use of biotechnology around the world," said Robert Horsch, Ph.D., Monsanto's vice president for product and technology cooperation. "We hope this report stimulates public discussion and expansion of public-private partnerships for humanitarian applications of biotechnology."

In related news, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (www.codexalimentarius.net), a joint body of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), met in Geneva this week to assess the need for global guidelines regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), as reported by John Zarocostas of UPI. Although the 165 countries represented at the meeting did not come to a decision regarding GMO labeling, it was agreed that GMO foods should be tested for allergic reactions and approved before they enter the food supply. One issue that was still open for debate was GMO tracking.

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