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Opinions archive results 1-20 of 33 in Agriculture & Environment and Agri-biotech
Agriculture can adapt to climate change
Innovative agricultural technologies can produce crops that meet climate change challenges, says ICRISAT head William Dar.
OPINION | 20 November 2009 | EN
Can GM food mitigate world hunger?
Six experts, writing in The New York Times, discuss options for ensuring food security in the face of growing populations and climate change.
CGIAR reforms take research decisions too far away, says Hartmann, director-general of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
ION | 6 October 2009 | EN
Intellectual property vital for agricultural innovation
Intellectual property must be protected to encourage technical innovations in agriculture, says Javier Fernandez of CropLife Latin America.
OPINION | 5 October 2009 | EN
Local engagement key to bringing biotech to Africa
Moves to introduce biotechnology to Africa must consider the needs and values of local people, argues socioeconomist Wilhemina Quaye.
The forgotten farm labourer
Helping farm labourers access new technologies and knowledge should be a priority for policymakers, argues innovation expert Anil Gupta.
Research collaboration crucial to meet food demands
Agricultural researchers in the North and South must work together to help farmers boost crop yields, says agriculturalist Adel El-Beltagy.
OPINION | 13 August 2009 | EN
Scientific strategies can save dryland agriculture
Climate change will make Indian dryland agriculture harder, but a scientific strategy offers real hope, says ICRISAT head William D. Dar.
OPINION | 15 July 2009 | EN
GM tree research blocked by impossible recommendations
Essential field trials of GM trees are being hindered by anti-GM activists working through the Convention on Biological Diversity, say Steven H. Strauss and colleagues.
OPINION | 18 June 2009 | EN
A layered approach to biosafety in Southern Africa
A layered and cooperative approach would help Southern African countries harmonise their biosafety laws, says Julius Mugwagwa.
Agricultural genetics could help ensure food security
Translating genetics research is easier in agriculture than medicine, says a Nature Genetics editorial, and existing technologies can be used.
OPINION | 4 June 2009 | EN
GM crops and the Gene Giants: Bad news for farmers
Unproven and patented GM fixes will not help farmers in the South adapt to climate change, say Kathy Jo Wetter and Hope Shand.
Innovation alone is not enough to secure food supplies
Innovation will help feed the world in the twenty first century, but only with political will and social justice, argues Alex Evans.
OPINION | 10 February 2009 | EN
Ecological engineering viable alternative to GM
Ecological engineering could provide better pest control than genetically modified crops, argue Josef Settele and colleagues.
African Union support crucial for agricultural progress
African nations must not only bring industry and activists to the table, but also follow up on their report, says an editorial in Nature.
OPINION | 1 December 2008 | EN
Develop capacity to make the most of biotech
Biotechnology holds great promise for developing countries, but only if they build up their scientific capacity, says TWAS fellow Indira Nath.
OPINION | 12 November 2008 | EN
Biotechnology is not the only solution
Biotechnology is only one of a set of approaches needed to solve the world's problems, says an editorial in Nature Biotechnology.
G8 must encourage biotech cooperation for Africa
G8 leaders must encourage cooperation in biotechnology to address Africa's food shortages, writes Calestous Juma.
Africa should invest in GMOs for small farmers
Africa needs a Green Revolution, including local research into genetically engineered crops for small farmers, says Robert Paarlberg.
Help the poor lift yields to fight food price rises
Small farmers could beat increasing prices in food and fertiliser by producing more of their own crops at lower cost, argues William Dar.
OPINION | 18 June 2008 | EN
Information Services
Missed the Global Health Forum 2009?
Our blog, by SciDev.Net columnist Priya Shetty, will fill you in, as will our interview with the Global Forum's Gill Samuels
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Still drinking arsenic
Millions of people still drink arsenic-contaminated water despite scientists' solutions
Just add water
Policymakers must improve water storage to help developing countries adapt to climate change
