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Agriculture & Environment: GM crops

Features

Here is a list of the latest articles

Synthetic biology researcher

Developing countries face up to synthetic biology challenges

As commercial synthetic biology production gathers speed, there are growing calls for greater regulation, reports Yojana Sharma.

27 April 2012 | EN | ES

Denis Kyetere

Q&A: Denis Kyetere on innovative technologies for Africa's farmers

Denis Kyetere, executive director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, outlines his vision for the continent's farmers.

5 April 2012 | EN

Daya Bay nuclear power plant

China urged to take technological risk more seriously

The recent nuclear scare in Japan has reinforced pressure in China to raise its awareness of the risks of new technologies. Li Jiao reports.

12 August 2011 | EN | 中文

Wheat

Could crop ancestors feed the world?

Researchers hope Syria's wild plant varieties could help in the quest to boost crop yields.

Source: COSMOS Magazine

26 April 2011 | EN

Maize

GM on the rise in Africa

Faced with increasing pressure to grow food, and with growing support to test biotechnology, more African countries may start cultivating GM crops.

Source: Reuters

12 April 2011 | EN

 Maíz fortificado con betacaroteno

Biofortified crops ready for developing world debut

A range of crops rich in micronutrients will be launched from next year, but is the developing world ready, asks Tatum Anderson?

17 November 2010 | EN | ES

Cassava

A quiet cassava revolution

The development of more nutritious cassava varieties — using non-GM methods — could alleviate malnutrition in the developing world.

Source: Scientific American

14 May 2010 | EN | ES

Man with Golden Rice

Can GM crops feed the hungry?

GM crops were supposed to rescue the world's one billion undernourished people. Carol Campbell discusses whether they will ever curb hunger.

20 January 2010 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

Roadblocks on the path to GM superfoods

Nutrient-rich foods could combat malnutrition — but getting from the lab to the plate is proving a challenge.

Source: The Scientist

17 September 2009 | EN | 中文

Ethiopia's sorghum superhero

An agricultural scientist whose work in sorghum improvement has benefited African farmers has won the World Food Prize.

Source: World Food Prize

22 June 2009 | EN

Is GM shedding its Frankenstein image?

Developing world farmers are leading the way in the adoption of genetically modified crops.

Source: Newsweek

20 March 2009 | EN | 中文

China's GM ambition raises biosafety concerns

Opinions on China's recent US$3.7 billion GM roll-out remain divided, with concerns over potential risks and regulation loopholes.

Source: Nature

6 November 2008 | EN | 中文

Chinese president, Wen Jiabao

Science 'should blaze a trail' in China's development

Science must take the lead role in economic development, says Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.

Source: Science

21 October 2008 | EN | 中文

Florence Wambugu at the African Green Revolution Conference

Q&A: African Agriculture with Florence Wambugu

Florence Wambugu, winner of the 2008 YARA prize for African agriculture, speaks to SciDev.Net about the challenges facing the field.

4 September 2008 | EN | FR

Selling cassava in Indonesia

Scientists target 'super cassava'

Cassava is getting a transgenic makeover to boost its nutritional value, shelf-life and disease resistance.

Source: AllAfrica.com

12 August 2008 | EN | FR | 中文

Africa's Sahel region will produce fewer crops as a result of climate change

Can crops be climate-proofed?

Climate change threatens food crops across the world. Now scientists are re-focusing their efforts on crop resilience, rather than yields.

11 January 2008 | EN | FR | 中文

GM crops — Asian farmers have their say

Despite pest and pricing worries, many Asian farmers welcome GM crops. Jia Hepeng heard their stories during a farmers' exchange programme.

24 October 2007 | EN | 中文

Tending Bt cotton in Mpumalanga, South Africa

Agri-biotech in Africa: Safety first?

Maryke Steffens reports on the influences behind Africa's diverse attitudes to transgenic crops, and the need for a unified agenda.

12 June 2007 | EN

Agri-biotech in sub-Saharan Africa: Facts and figures

Dominic Glover outlines the status of agricultural biotechnology research, development and commercialisation in sub-Saharan Africa.

5 June 2007 | EN

Wheat infected with the fungus <em>Puccinia graminis</em>

March of killer fungus sparks race for resistant wheat

The spread of deadly wheat rust to Yemen has triggered a rush to pin down wheat varieties that are resistant to it.

Source: Science

2 April 2007 | EN