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The key components of modern biotechnology are: (i) Genomics: the molecular characterization of all species; (ii) Bioinformatics: the assembly of data from genomic analysis into accessible forms; (iii) Transformation: the introduction of single genes conferring potentially useful traits into plant, livestock, fish, and tree species; (iv) Molecular breeding: the identification and evaluation of desirable traits in breeding programs with the use of marker-assisted selection; (v) Diagnostics: the use of molecular characterization to provide more accurate and quicker identification of pathogens; and (vi) Vaccine technology: use of modern immunology to develop recombinant DNA vaccine for improving control of lethal diseases (IFPRI, 2001).
According to the “broad” definition above, biotechnology has a potential to answer poverty issues, such as alleviating hunger, diseases, and environmental stress. In Asia and the Pacific, research on the incidence of poverty in sixteen countries based on country specific or “national” poverty lines between 1990 and 2000 shows that while poverty has declined in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea and Viet Nam, poverty has increased in other Asia Pacific countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand (ESCAP, 2002).
Biotechnology can enhance agricultural productivity in poor countries in a way that further reduces poverty, improves food security and nutrition, and promotes the sustainable use of natural resources. Small farmers in poor countries face a variety of problems and constraints. Crop losses due to insects, disease, weeds, and drought threaten income and food availability. Acidic soils, low soil fertility and lack of access to reasonably priced plant nutrients, and other biotic factors also contribute to low yields. Poor infrastructure and dysfunctional markets for inputs and outputs, along with lack of access to credit and technical assistance, all add to the problems plaguing poor farmers.
Some key questions still shadow the use of biotechnology as far as environmental risks are concerned: (i) Could Genetically Modified (GM) crops become a weed or be invasive of natural habit?; (ii) Could genes from genetically modified organisms cross over to weeds and create herbicide resistant weeds?; (iii) Could GM crops transfer genes to non GM-crops?; and (iv) Could insects become resistant to pesticides? Biotechnology may also pose some human health risks, such as: (i) Increased health risks associated with allergenicity and toxicity in genetically modified foods; (ii) Why are antibiotic-resistant genes being used?; (iii) Horizontal gene transfer to other micro-organisms and become pathogen; and (iv) Possible unknown long-term or inter-generational consequences (Iamsupasit, N., 2002: Benefits and Risk of GMO).
Four sets of biotechnological policies are particularly important to pursue: (i) Policies to guide research for the poor. This could be through the allocation of additional public resources to agricultural research, or by converting some social benefits to private benefits, and protecting intellectual property rights; (ii) Policies to protect against health risks; (iii) Policies to address ecological risks; and (iv) Policies to regulate the private sector.
In the end, the key to biotechnological advancement is on consumers. Consumer attitudes are reflected in public perception. Unfortunately, consumers in poor countries are always the last to know about the potential benefits and risks of biotechnology ¡
Written by Erna M. Lokollo, Pogramme Leader, UNESCAP-CAPSA, Bogor, Indonesia. |
