http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/09/28/researchers-look-to-enriched-crops-to-solve-childhood-malnutrition/ The independent newspaper of Washington University in St. Louis Sun, 21 Mar 2010 14:42:03 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/09/28/researchers-look-to-enriched-crops-to-solve-childhood-malnutrition/comment-page-1/#comment-814 Karl Haro von Mogel Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:42:36 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=4759#comment-814 The BioCassava Plus project, which this article is about, involves GIVING the genetically engineered cassava to subsistence farmers, and also giving the genetic constructs used to generate it to African researchers to continue the work in their own countries. Just about everything else that sobersteelhead says about the technology in the above comment is false as well. I encourage readers who would like more information about genetic engineering to visit our blog community, Biofortified, at http://www.biofortified.org. The BioCassava Plus project, which this article is about, involves GIVING the genetically engineered cassava to subsistence farmers, and also giving the genetic constructs used to generate it to African researchers to continue the work in their own countries.
Just about everything else that sobersteelhead says about the technology in the above comment is false as well. I encourage readers who would like more information about genetic engineering to visit our blog community, Biofortified, at http://www.biofortified.org.

]]> http://www.studlife.com/news/2009/09/28/researchers-look-to-enriched-crops-to-solve-childhood-malnutrition/comment-page-1/#comment-807 sobersteelhead Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:19:10 +0000 http://www.studlife.com/?p=4759#comment-807 So I suppose Beachy thinks subsistence farmers can afford the outrageous prices for the GMO seed and attendant chemicals(of which there are tons.Literally.Per acre.And long term contracts to negotiate and sign with people that are basically illiterate. Oh, yeah, and they'll need all sorts of modern equipment and the tools and the petrol to keep them running. Or Africa could learn from our mistakes and develop in a more sustainable, eath friendly, proven method. For all the promises GMOs may hold, so far the only thing they've really delivered on is profits for the Ag/Biotech industry. Marker specific breeding is much more effective at a fraction the cost w/ none of possible dangers cross species engineering may incur. The last thing the developing world needs is a food technology reliant on outside energy and supplies. Organic, self contained family or small co-op style farms serving local areas would be the ideal system, in terms of nutrition and environment.This assumes of course a basic level of clean water and sanitation has been attained in a given community. So I suppose Beachy thinks subsistence farmers can afford the outrageous prices for the GMO seed and attendant chemicals(of which there are tons.Literally.Per acre.And long term contracts to negotiate and sign with people that are basically illiterate. Oh, yeah, and they’ll need all sorts of modern equipment and the tools and the petrol to keep them running.
Or Africa could learn from our mistakes and develop in a more sustainable, eath friendly, proven method. For all the promises GMOs may hold, so far the only thing they’ve really delivered on is profits for the Ag/Biotech industry.
Marker specific breeding is much more effective at a fraction the cost w/ none of possible dangers cross species engineering may incur.
The last thing the developing world needs is a food technology reliant on outside energy and supplies. Organic, self contained family or small co-op style farms serving local areas would be the ideal system, in terms of nutrition and environment.This assumes of course a basic level of clean water and sanitation has been attained in a given community.

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