FAO Sees Benefits in Biotechnology

ROME - May 17/04 - SNS -- Biotechnology holds promise for improving yields and ensuring more consistent crops around the world, argues the FAO, but so far the benefits have been reserved for the rich.

Basic food crops of the poor such as cassava, potato, rice and wheat receive little attention by scientists, FAO said in its annual report 'The State of Food and Agriculture 2003-04'.

"Neither the private nor the public sector has invested significantly in new genetic technologies for the so-called 'orphan crops' such as cowpea, millet, sorghum and tef that are critical for the food supply and livelihoods of the world's poorest people," said FAO Director-General Dr Jacques Diouf.

"Other barriers that prevent the poor from accessing and fully benefiting from modern biotechnology include inadequate regulatory procedures, complex intellectual property issues, poorly functioning markets and seed delivery systems, and weak domestic plant breeding capacity," he added.

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