GMO foods and crops: Africa's choice.
There is a scientific consensus, even in Europe, that the GMO foods and crops currently on the market have brought no documented new risks either to human health or to the environment. Europe has decided to stifle the use of this new technology, not because of the presence of risks, but because of the absence so far of direct benefits to most Europeans. Farmers in Europe are few in number, and they are highly productive even without GMOs. In Africa, by contrast, 60% of all citizens are still farmers and they are not yet highly productive. For Africa, the choice to stifle new technology with European-style regulations carries a much higher cost.
Paarlberg
Robert
R
B.F. Johnson Professor of Political Science, Wellesley College, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481, USA. rpaarlberg@wellesley.edu
D000349:Africa; D000383:Agriculture / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000235:genetics; D004777:Environment; D005060:Europe; D030841:Food, Genetically Modified / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics; D018570:Risk Assessment