I have been reading with great interest much of the dialogue that has been continuing and note that in the vast majority the theme of "food security" is central. I have seen reference to statements such as "will biotechnology solve the world hunger problem" and second, is it "sustainable" or " the pressing concern is not to find a hi-tech way to drive the economy forward, but it is to feed the populace so that they are no longer hungry." (Soraj Hongladarom, 13 November)
What has been missing from the debate is a more scientific assessment of the underlying problem and that is the population carrying capacity of the environment and concept of land use sustainability. See for example:
Iskandar L 1999. The "human carrying capacity". Is it a viable concept when assessing the land use sustainability? . Interciencia 24: (1) 26-. (in Spanish)
Wackernagel M, Yount JD1998. The ecological footprint: An indicator of progress toward regional sustainability Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 51: (1-2) 511-529
Holmberg J, Lundqvist U, Robert KH, Wackernagel M 1999. The ecological footprint from a systems perspective of sustainability International J. Sustainable Development and World Ecology 6: (1) 17-33
These papers present the scientific basis to determine the potential impact of biotechnology. However, it is clear that NO technology will result in an ultimate solution to food security because the problem is limited by the carrying capacity of the environment. Biotechnology will simply increase that carrying capacity, or, in the above terminology, result in a smaller ecological footprint for the same population size. In time, with unchecked population growth, the population will again exceed this limit, even if everyone in the world takes an altruistic stance and consumes an equal share of the limited resources. As humans, we are not above biological and physical limitations of our environments. Soon, even the developed worlds will face the same issue.
Of course, the above ignores the very real suffering and pain among human populations, and will, I am sure, be attacked vigorously as an insensitive concept to apply to a complex and difficult situation that cannot be reduced to such simple analysis. However, this is similar to issues faced by macro versus micro economics. Both are very real forces in the market place but, in the long run, macroeconomics dictates the playing field. I have only seen the equivalent of microeconomics being discussed. Lets hear from population biologists and ecologists.
Bill Muir
Professor of Genetics
Purdue University, USA
bmuir@purdue.edu
[To contribute to this conference, send your message to biotech-room1@mailserv.fao.org The last day for receiving messages is Sunday 17 December. For further information on the FAO Electronic Forum on Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture see http://www.fao.org/biotech/forum.asp ]
-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod1
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 9:27 AM
To: 'biotech-room1@mailserv.fao.org'
Subject: Re: Biotechnology in food
Referring to the message of Martyn Jeggo [12 December]: A good number of the points emphasised in his message were fairly well dealt with in Conference 3 of the Forum [all message are still available on http://www.fao.org/biotech/logs/c3logs.htm ...Moderator] - see my message of 3 July as well as those of numerous participants, including David Steane (30 June). I think however ( and here I agree with Martyn Jeggo) that our debate in recent days gives a strange impression of being a little bit too "philosophical"regarding pro or contro biotechnology, despite the praiseworthy efforts of the moderator to make the debate more concrete.
Dr Adama TRAORE
Docteur Vétérinaire, Spécialiste de reproduction animale;
Président du Comité National de la Recherche Agronomique
CNRA Bamako Mali BP: E1911 Tel/Fax: 223 22 71 65
e-mail: atraore@spider.toolnet.org
[Original message was as follows...Moderator: Je me réfère à l'intervention du Dr Martyn Jeggo (12 décembre) pour dire que bon nombre des points soulignés dans son message ont été assez bien abordés lors de la conférence "Biotech-room3"; ref. à ma contribution du 3 juillet ainsi qu'à celles de nombreux intervenants dont celle de David Steane (30 juin)!. Je pense cependant (et je le rejoins!) que nos débats de ces derniers jours donnent une étrange impression de débat un peu trop "philosophique" de pro ou contre Biotech et ceci, en depit des éfforts louables du modérateur dans sa tentative de cristaliser davantage le débat.]
[To contribute to this conference, send your message to biotech-room1@mailserv.fao.org The last day for receiving messages is Sunday 17 December. For further information on the FAO Electronic Forum on Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture see http://www.fao.org/biotech/forum.asp ]