With the world's population
having surpassed six billion people and still
growing, food production will need to double
in less than two generations, using largely the
same amount of land and water resources. Science's
answer to this dilemma has come in the form of
genetically modified crops- crops that can withstand
drought, disease, salt, and pollution. Such crops
will need to be grown in the developing world,
where most of the population growth will occur.
But so far the biotechnology debate has been
between the US and Europe, with countries in
the developing world being marginalized and excluded.
The
conference, 'Biotechnology and Sustainable Development:
Voices of the South and North,' in Alexandria,
Egypt from October 15 to 17, aims at giving developing
countries a voice in what will certainly affect
their abilities to feed their growing populations.
The conference will give governments, scientists,
and members of civil society from both the developing
and the industrialized worlds a chance to interact
and share their concerns about biotechnology.
"We place a special emphasis on the exchange
of views between the people, institutions and governments
of the developing countries of the South and those
of the industrialized countries of the North," said
Youssuf Wally, Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation.
The conference is co-sponsored by the Government
of Egypt, and other international organizations,
including the Food and Agricultural Organization
(FAO), United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the World Bank,
and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD).
The social, ethical, economic, environmental and
legal ramifications of genetically modified food
will be examined at the conference. Case studies
of industrialized and developing countries' experiences
in ethics, food safety and environmental safety
of biotechnology applications will be also be presented
in panel discussions.
"We must be aware of the social, ethical,
economic, environmental and legal ramifications
of this revolution in the new life sciences which
promises to leave no aspect of our lives untouched," he
said. "We must learn how to deploy these technologies
wisely so that they serve the needs of humanity
at large, benefit the poor and safeguard the environment,
rather than only serving the interests of the few."
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