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St. Louis, Missouri
July 09, 2001
Monsanto Company today
welcomes the United Nations Development Programme's Human
Development Report 2001, which focuses attention on the concerns
and needs of the developing world for better agricultural
biotechnology.
"This report is a timely and constructive review of the
potential for biotechnology to help some of the world's poorest
communities," said Robert Horsch, Ph.D., Vice President for
Product and Technology co-operation. "We believe this report
puts an important focus on the benefits that biotechnology can
bring, in addition to highlighting key issues regarding safe and
effective use of biotechnology around the world."
Agricultural biotechnology already delivers important economic
and environmental benefits to many farmers in many North and
South American countries and around the world. However, the most
dramatic potential for the technology to improve lives,
strengthen resource poor economies and protect the environment
may exist in developing countries.
"Biotechnology is uniquely suited to developing countries," said
Dr. Horsch.
"It is an 'information technology,' in which the beneficial
trait is encoded in the DNA of crop seeds. Farmers grow the
seeds normally and get the benefit of the new trait without
having to purchase expensive new equipment or apply potentially
harmful chemicals," he said.
"After initial research and development, the technology is easy
and inexpensive to adopt and reliable in its delivery of the
benefit from the new trait. Regulation based on sound science
and investment in local infrastructure are the keys to
successful development and delivery of new crops," Dr. Horsch
said.
"The benefits of agricultural biotechnology, including more
reliable yields, reduced pesticide use and disease resistance,
are particularly valuable in developing countries where farmers,
whose welfare depends on a successful harvest, often lack
conventional means of crop protection," added Dr Horsch.
"We hope this report stimulates public discussion and expansion
of public- private partnerships for humanitarian applications of
biotechnology." For more than ten years, Monsanto has worked in
collaboration with public agricultural researchers around the
world to improve crops that are particularly important in
developing countries, including sweetpotato, rice, mustard,
papaya and potato. As a partner in the projects described below,
Monsanto shares fundamental scientific data; technology,
including genes and traits; know-how to move technology into
crops important for food security; advice on environmental
stewardship and information on food safety; and licenses to
patented technologies - all to develop crops that can produce
more food, use less pesticide, and improve people's health
around the world. All of these partnerships to build products
for subsistence farmers include assessments and studies to
ensure food and environmental safety.
Sweetpotato: For millions of people in developing countries,
sweetpotatoes are a major part of the diet because they are
nutritious and easy to grow. And because they can be stored
underground for an extended length of time, sweetpotatoes can be
a reliable source of food, even in dry seasons. But attacks by
pests and disease can reduce yields by as much as 80 percent.
Currently, biotechnology research is being used to develop a
sweetpotato that protects itself against a devastating plant
virus. Following extensive research and development starting in
1991 by a partnership of Monsanto in the United States and
researchers in Africa - including the Kenyan Agricultural
Research Institute (KARI) and the International Service for the
Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA) - field tests of
virus-resistant sweetpotatoes have now been initiated in Kenya.
African farmers may soon have a sweet potato that protects
itself from disease, and plays a critical role in the fight
against hunger.
Rice Genome: Monsanto announced in April 2000 that it was making
its draft rice genome sequence data available at no charge to
the public researchers involved in the International Rice Genome
Sequencing Project (IRGSP) and to other registered public
researchers. In February 2001, the IRGSP, a consortium of public
sequencing teams from around the world, announced that they will
significantly accelerate their timetable for complete
publication of the genome sequence, in large part speeded by the
use of our data. In the meantime, over 650 other scientists have
access to the Monsanto draft rice genome sequence data through
the Internet site
www.rice-research.org. Rice is an important staple crop
around the world, as well as a model plant for research on other
crops, so it is hoped that the expansion of knowledge about its
genome will advance global efforts to improve related food
crops, including millet and sorghum.
Papaya: In the last two decades a pernicious plant virus, the
Papaya Ringspot Virus (PRSV), has invaded Southeast Asia,
destroying one of the region's most important crops: papaya. The
disease has had a devastating impact on farmers throughout the
region, particularly on small-scale subsistence farmers who rely
on papaya as an easy-to-grow, highly nutritious, and locally
marketable fruit. Both production and yields have dramatically
declined. Every country in Southeast Asia is grappling with the
same problem, and in response, the Papaya Biotechnology Network
of Southeast Asia was formed to develop papaya with PRSV
resistance and enhance the region's capacity to develop and
deploy other transgenic crops in the future. Formally launched
in 1998 by ISAAA, the Network includes national institutes in
Philippines Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia, and is
supported by technology and training from Monsanto.
"Golden" crops: Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to
help address malnutrition in developing countries, when used to
produce staple crops with higher levels of important nutrients.
Monsanto is working with the not-for-profit Tata Energy Research
Institute (TERI), a leading Indian research institute in New
Delhi, India, on a multi-year project to develop a "Golden
Mustard" that
will yield cooking oil high in beta-carotene (Pro- Vitamin A).
Successful development and adoption of the enhanced oil from
"Golden Mustard" has the potential of helping hundreds of
thousands of children suffering from vitamin A deficiencies,
particularly in northern and eastern India, where mustard oil is
commonly used for food preparation and cooking. Recent estimates
reveal that more than 18 percent of the children in India suffer
some level of vitamin A deficiency, which can lead to vision
impairment, inability to absorb proteins and nutrients, and
reduced immune function. Michigan State University's Ag Biotech
Support Project (ABSP) is another major partner in this project,
which has funding support from the US Agency for International
Development.
Another example of the application of biotechnology to enhance
nutrition is "Golden Rice," which was developed by researchers
in Switzerland to combat vitamin A deficiency, with the support
of the Rockefeller Foundation. Their collaboration with research
institutions around the world will enable further development
and delivery of this technology free-of-charge for humanitarian
purposes. Other companies, including Monsanto, have offered use
of their technology royalty-free in support of this project. It
is hoped that technology used to develop golden rice and golden
mustard oil might one day be extended to other crops in such as
maize, a staple food in many African countries where vitamin A
deficiency is also prevalent. Collectively, projects such as
these can put biotechnology to work to improve the nutritional
quality of staple foods grown and consumed by the poorest
households.
Potato: In 1991, Monsanto and the Center for Advanced Studies
(CINVESTAV) -- a government research laboratory in Irapuato,
Mexico -- embarked on a cooperative project to develop, through
use of biotechnology, virus resistance in varieties of potatoes
grown by resource-poor Mexican farmers. The partnership was
funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and facilitated by ISAAA.
The
partnership involved having two CINVESTAV scientists work with
Monsanto scientists to learn how to conduct potato
transformation and apply it to varieties in Mexico. Through the
project, Monsanto also granted rights to use its
virus-protection technology in certain varieties of potatoes.
The research phases of this project are complete and the
partners in Mexico are moving toward approval and distribution.
When the transformed locally adapted varieties are grown by
subsistence growers, they can expect to see a potential yield
increase of 10 to 15 percent.
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of
technology-based solutions and agricultural products that
improve farm productivity. For more information on Monsanto,
see: http://www.monsanto.com.
Company news release
N3639 |
