Overcoming famine with the aid of biotechnology

A new FAO publication calls for greater
national and international efforts to bring
agricultural biotechnologies to smallholder
producers in developing countries.
The publication, Biotechnologies at Work for
Smallholders: Case Studies from Developing
Countries in Crops, Livestock and Fish
, asserts biotechnologies can help smallholders to
improve their livelihoods and food security.
Biotechnologies at Work for Smallholders covers
19 case studies in crops, livestock and fisheries,
written by scientists and researchers worldwide.
It describes the practical realities and experiences
of taking biotechnology research and applying it
in smallholder production of bananas, cassava,
rice, livestock, shrimp and more, in different parts
of the developing world.
The case studies encompassed a wide range of
biotechnologies. They included older or
"traditional" ones like artificial insemination and
fermentation, and cutting-edge techniques
involving DNA-based methodologies - but not
genetic modification.
The publication was prepared by a multi-
disciplinary team at FAO as part of an agricultural
biotechnologies project partially funded by the
Government of Canada.
"With the right institutional and financial
arrangements, governments, research
institutions and organizations can help to bring
biotechnologies to smallholders, improving their
capacity to cope with challenges like climate
change, plant and animal diseases, and the
overuse of natural resources," said Andrea
Sonnino, Chief of FAO's Research and Extension
Unit.
Case studies
Four case studies were from India, two from
China and one each from Argentina, Bangladesh,
Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Cuba, Ghana,
Nigeria, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and
Thailand.
Researchers used their knowledge of DNA
markers to develop a flood-tolerant rice variety in
India with a potential yield of 1-3 tons per hectare
more than previously used varieties, under flood
conditions. After being released in 2009, the new
variety, Swarna-Sub1, spread rapidly and was
used by three million farmers in 2012.
"In summary, submergence-tolerant varieties
provided opportunities for improving and
stabilizing yields in flash flood-affected areas,
significantly contributing to national food
security," stated Uma Singh and colleagues from
the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) who
prepared the case study.