Key issues
- Biotechnology and governance
- The great majority of the transgenic (genetically modified, GM) crops commercialised to date have been particularly targeted towards large-scale commercial farmers. But smallholder farmers in China, India and South Africa have been growing GM crops for several years, while transgenic varieties of subsistence food crops, with traits such as drought-tolerance, are under development. There has been a recent surge of attention – and funding – to stimulate new scientific and technological solutions to the challenges facing smallholder agriculture, especially in Africa. Poorer farmers and consumers stand to be strongly affected – positively or negatively – by such advances. This key issues guide reviews these issues and recommends further reading.
