A German scientist has called for renewed debate on new plant breeding technologies such as genetic engineering and gene editing because they could increase food production in a more environmentally friendly way.

The controversial technologies could increase food production to help fight global hunger, a study published this month in the journal of Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy shows, but have been subject to debate over negative environmental effects and perceived safety issues with genetically modified organisms.

"The problem is that the regulatory authorities in Europe treat plants developed using gene editing in the same way as genetically modified plants where foreign genes are introduced," Matin Qaim, an agricultural economist and professor at the University of Gottingen, said in a press release. "This fuels public fears and prevents the further development and use of the technology in agriculture."

In particular, new breeding technologies "invented a few years ago" are able to "make better use of soil nutrients" so that they don't need as much fertilizer, he said. And the new technologies can also help crops develop new traits faster to adapt to climate change.

Qaim, who evaluated 50 years of global research for the study, also said that scientific studies have classified GMOs as safe, but there has still been concern over possible health and environmental risks.

This controversy has largely centered around "the fact that GMOs contain genes introduced from other species," he added.

However, Qaim said that unlike GMOs, which are especially controversial in Europe, gene-editing doesn't usually rely on transfer of foreign genes.

"Unfortunately, the European attitude has far-reaching implications for many poor countries, especially in Africa, where new agricultural technologies are particularly important for small farms," Qaim said. "We urgently need a different and more evidence-based public disclosure about new breeding technologies, because they can make an important contribution to sustainable agriculture and food security."

"The low public acceptance has led to high regulatory hurdles that are not scientifically justified and seriously slow down the development of the technology," he added.

Related Links
Farming Today - Suppliers and Technology

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

DLR technologies for humanitarian aid
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Apr 20, 2020
Technologies developed for spaceflight must function under extreme conditions. Not only do systems and equipment need to be robust, safe, compact, lightweight and easy to use, but they must also function reliably and sometimes autonomously. Satellite technologies also provide a rapid and comprehensive view of Earth from above. These special properties also prove useful on Earth, not least for dealing with natural disasters and other extreme situations. In 2019, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsch ... read more