Food & Agricultural Biotechnology. Health Impacts in Developing Nations

Transcription

1 Health Impacts in Developing Nations

2 Program Objectives 1. Describe agricultural biotechnology applications currently utilized or being studied for use in developing nations. 2. Identify biotechnology s role in food quality and availability, economic development, and the health of farm workers. 3. Describe guidance from international authorities regarding safety testing and regulation of agricultural biotechnology. 4. Compare and contrast examples of uses and regulation of agricultural biotechnology in specific developing nations and world regions.

3 Module Outline I. Global Overview II. a. Definition b. Adoption c. Regulation and Safety Understanding Agriculture, Food, and Health in Developing Nations III. Developing Nations a. Adoption b. Benefits c. Research & Development d. Case Studies e. What will the Future Hold? IV. Resources & References

4 Global Overview: Definition

5 Defined: Various agricultural and food production techniques that aim to improve agricultural conditions and produce better food. Modern : Identification and transfer of specific gene(s) that create(s) a desired quality in a plant. More precise way to produce plants with certain beneficial characteristics such as insect protection or better nutrition. Photos courtesy of Wayne Parrot, PhD, University of Georgia

6 Global Overview: Adoption

7 Global : Adoption 60-fold increase in acreage, 1996 to 2006 In 2006: 252 million acres (102 million hectares) 22 countries 10.3 million farmers Traits expressed in crops: Bt (insect protected) HT (herbicide tolerant) VR (virus resistant) %Global Crop Acreage: 64% soybean 38% cotton 18% canola 17% maize

8 Global Overview: Regulation and Safety

9 Global : Regulation and Safety Deemed safe by scientific and regulatory authorities globally for food, animal feed, and environmental safety

10 Global : An Example of Safety Assessment Cooperation Assessing Allergenicity of Genetically Modified Foods 2000: Decision tree adopted 2001: 28 experts reaffirmed and recommended integrating emerging research and modifying, as needed Decision Tree is utilized worldwide

11 Global : Scientific Support American Medical Association (AMA) European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Food and Organization (FAO) Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Royal Society of London, U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Brazilian Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy, Mexican Academy of Sciences, and Third World Academy of Sciences Society of Toxicology US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) US Department of Agriculture (USDA) US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) World Health Organization (WHO)

12 Global : Challenges to Cooperation regarding Trade Regulation Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety Designed to address biodiversity Biotech crops and seeds require approval and notification prior to importation Complexity and extended scope raise interpretation, implementation, and resource challenges 195 nations have ratified the Protocol Critics, including the US, have concerns that the Protocol is not science-based

13 Understanding Agriculture, Food, and Health in Developing Nations

14 Agriculture, Food, and Health in Developing Nations AGRICULTURE plays critical role: Engine of ECONOMIC GROWTH Employer to nearly ½ labor force Enhancing agricultural productivity to include better quality, quantity and consistency means: BETTER DIETS HIGHER INCOMES 1% increase in yield can increase income by 100% for 44% of Sub-Saharan Africans

15 : Impact of Improved Productivity on Human Health REDUCED PESTICIDE USE PRODUCE MORE CONSISTENT FOOD SUPPLY HIGHER FARM/ FAMILY INCOME TRANSITION TO USE OF SAFER PESTICIDES HUMAN HEALTH STIMULATION OF LOCAL ECONOMIES IMPROVED WATER QUALITY IMPROVED AIR QUALITY PRODUCE MORE FOOD/NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER CROP REDUCED SOIL TILLAGE IMPROVED SOIL QUALITY

16 Hunger, poverty, and disease are interlinked, with each contributing to the presence and persistence of the other two. World Health Organization, 1997 Agriculture, Food, and Health in Developing Nations 854 million hungry people in world with 820 million (96%) of those individuals in developing countries In Africa: 1/3 undernourished 1/4 of children underweight 1/3 of children stunted Population growth compounding problem! 40% more food needed from agriculture to meet needs of projected population

17 Food, Agriculture, and Health in Developing Nations Many BARRIERS to addressing hunger and malnutrition through increasing agricultural production Failure to address agricultural production, however, would undermine selfsustainability Fortunately biotechnology does not rely on economies of scale. The power of biotechnology is delivered via the seed itself.

18 Developing Nations: Adoption

19 Developing Nations: Adoption of 22 countries with biotech crop acreage were developing nations 40% global acreage in developing nations (vs. 14% in 1997) Of 10.3 million farmers who planted biotech crops in 2006: 90% or 9.3 million were small, resourcepoor farmers from developing countries Increased income from biotech crops contributed to poverty alleviation. Most reside and work in China, India, the Philippines, and South Africa.

20 Developing Nations: Benefits

21 Developing Nations: Solving Problems is making and has the potential to make further essential contributions to resolving certain food and agricultural issues in the developing world Human Health Environmental Economic Because trace minerals are important not only for human nutrition, but for plant nutrition as well, plant breeding holds great promise for making a significant, low-cost, and sustainable contribution to reducing micronutrient, particularly mineral deficiencies in humans, and may have important spinoff effects for increasing farm productivity in developing countries in a way that is environmentally-beneficial. (Bouis, Graham, and Welch, 1999)

22 Developing Nations: Human Health Benefits Improved nutrition Golden rice Golden mustard oil Higher protein potato Micronutrient-enhanced cassava, rice, etc.

23 Developing Nations: Human Health Benefits Reduced toxin formation, in the field and post-harvest Reduced mycotoxin formation in insectprotected (Bt) varieties Varieties developed to produce less naturally-occurring toxin

24 Developing Nations: Human Health Benefits Increased food production Disease and pest resistance Resulting yield increases

25 Developing Nations: Human Health Benefits Farmer health Reduced pesticide exposure during spraying Economic gains translate into better diets and health care

26 Developing Nations: Environmental Benefits Global Reductions in Pesticide Use 224 million kg (6%) active ingredient, Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) 15.3%, Human health impact? Reduce farmer exposure. Improve air and ground water quality. Improve diets through increased net income to farmer.

27 Developing Nations: Environmental Benefits (continued) Reductions in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Less fossil fuel used to spray pesticides and/or till the soil 962 million kg CO 2 Equivalent to 427,556 average family cars More organic carbon sequestered in soil with no-till and reduced-till systems 8,053 million kg CO 2 Equivalent to 3,579,298 average family cars Human health impact? Improve air quality. Improve diets through increased net income to farmer.

28 Developing Nations: Economic Benefits 2005 direct global farm income benefit*: $5 billion 2005 direct developing nations farm income benefit*: $2.75 billion Human health impact? Allow farming families to eat better. Channel resources into local economy, allowing non-farming families to eat better. * Farm income benefit accounts for impact on yield, key costs of production (seed, crop protection, fuel, labor), crop quality, facility of planting 2nd crop within a season, price changes

29 Developing Nations: R&D

30 The reality is that poor countries have vibrant programs of public biotech research. Joel Cohen, International Food Policy Research Institute, 2004 Developing Nations: Research and Development Research goals relevant to developing nations: Reduce need for agrochemicals Pest and disease resistance Increased tolerance to drought and saline soils Prolonged shelf life and other enhanced product characteristics Improved nutritional value R&D is active worldwide in specific countries, and through international collaborative research groups

31 Developing Nations: Case Studies

32 Case Study: South Africa HEALTH AND AGRONOMIC NEEDS 11% population employed in agriculture Ag is 4% of GDP Severe HIV/AIDS crisis, affecting ability to work and economic status of families Common crops: cotton, maize, potato, soybean, sugarcane, wheat ADOPTION 1999: One of first developing countries to commercially approve biotech crops 2005 to 2006: 180% increase (3.5 million acres in 2006) 8th largest acreage worldwide Planted by several thousand farmers, including many female Bt cotton farmers Crops: Bt and HT white maize for food Bt and HT yellow maize for animal feed HT soybean Bt, HT, and stacked (Bt + HT) cotton

33 Case Study: South Africa ECONOMIC Farm income $76 million, Makhatini Flats cotton farmer survey ( 98-01) Gross margin increase: $86-93/hectare Revenue, yield, harvest labor, seed cost Pesticide cost, pesticide spray labor Social implications for female farmers supporting families ENVIRONMENTAL EIQ ranged from 7% for HT soybean to 0.44% for HT maize Walking with a knapsack sprayer on his back, a farmer has to cover a distance of km to apply pesticide to one hectare of cotton. Water has to be carried by hand from communal water sources, and in dry areas clean water is a very scarce commodity. Illness due to exposure to pesticides is not uncommon among small-scale farmers. Gouse, Pray, Schimmelpfennig 2004

34 Case Study: South Africa R&D University of Cape Town Maize resistant to virus, drought Tobacco to produce vaccines against HIV and HPV South African Sugar Experiment Station HT sugar cane (see photo at left: control in middle, HT crop on either side; courtesy of AgBioForum) India-Brazil-South Africa Trilateral Commission, biotech research collaboration

35 Case Study: India HEALTH AND AGRONOMIC NEEDS: Green Revolution history Still, home to most hungry in world 300 million food insecure 60% employed in agriculture Ag represents 22% of the GDP Feeds into cotton industry (4% GDP) ADOPTION: 9.4 million biotech crop acres: 3-fold or 192% increase, 2005 to th largest biotech cultivator worldwide 2.3 million farmers

36 Case Study: India ECONOMIC: 2002 to 2005, farmer income increased US$463 million due to biotech Yield of Bt vs. conventional cotton was 45% higher in 2002 and 63% higher in 2003 ENVIRONMENT 78% less pesticide sprayed in 2002 on Bt vs. non-bt cotton; 83% less in 2003 EIQ 3%,

37 Case Study: India R&D Dept of Biotech, Ministry of Science and Technology: 6 centers of plant molecular biology in 1990 IBSA Trilateral Commission Crops under study in India: chickpea, banana, blackgram, brassica, cabbage, cauliflower, coffee, cotton, eggplant, maize, muskmelon, mustard/rapeseed, pidgeonpea, potato, rice, tobacco, tomato, and wheat. Support Program II (ABSPII): Fruit and Shoot Borer Resistant Eggplant (photo at left courtesy of ABSPII) Drought Tolerant Rice Salinity Tolerant Rice Late Blight Resistant Potato Tobacco Streak Virus Resistant Groundnut and Sunflower

38 Case Study: The Philippines HEALTH AND AGRONOMIC NEEDS: 36% population employed in ag sector Ag is 14.8% GDP Major crops: banana, cassava, coconut, corn, mango, pineapple, rice, sugarcane ADOPTION: 100% increase, 2005 to 2006, to 0.2 million hectares 10th largest biotech cultivator worldwide 100,000 farmers Crops: Bt, HT, and stacked maize for animal feed

39 Case Study: The Philippines ECONOMIC $8 million farm income, Yield 25% ENVIRONMENT Potential for reduced pesticide usage HEALTH Potential for reduced mycotoxin formation Potential for reduced pesticide exposure

40 Case Study: The Philippines R&D Support Program II (ABSPII): Fruit and Shoot Borer Resistant Eggplant Drought Tolerant Rice Salinity Tolerant Rice Late Blight Resistant Potato Tobacco Streak Virus Resistant Groundnut and Sunflower Philippine Rice Research Institute Golden Rice Virus and Blight Resistant Rice Institute of Plant Breeding of the University of the Philippines at Los Baños VR papaya (photo at left: virus-resistant on right, control on left; courtesy of AgBioForum, Gonsalves 2004)

41 Developing Nations: What will the future hold?

42 Critical Factors for Continued Benefits in Developing Nations Science-based regulatory and trade policies Infrastructure and access issues Responsible farm management and environmental stewardship Public-private partnerships Consumer acceptance

43 is not the enemy hunger is Jimmy Carter Former President of the U.S. and current activist against global hunger "GM technology, coupled with important developments in other areas, should be used to increase the production of main food staples, improve the efficiency of production, reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, and provide access to food for small-scale farmers. National Academy of Sciences

44 To Learn More: Support Project II AgBio World Industry Organization Consultative Group on International Research Council for Information Institute of Food Technologists

45 To Learn More continued Institute of Medicine, National Academies of Science International Food Information Council Foundation International Food Policy Research Institute International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications Society of Toxicology ood.html US Regulatory Agencies Unified Web Site

46 References Bennett RM, Ismael Y, Kambhampati U, & and Morse S. Economic impact of genetically modified cotton in India. AgBioForum. 2004;7(3): Bouis H, Graham RD, and Welch RM. The CGIAR Micronutrients Project: Justification, History, Objectives, and Summary of Findings. Presented at International Food Policy Research Institute Conference, Improving Human Nutrition Through Agriculture: The Role of International Research, October 5-7, Brookes G and Barfoot P. Global Impact of Biotech Crops: Socio- Economic and Environmental Effects in the First Ten Years of Commercial Use. AgBioForum. 2006;9(3): Philippines Bureau of Statistics. Internet: (accessed 5/1/07) Cardoso AP, Ernesto M, Cliff J, Egan SV, Bradbury JH. Cyanogenic potential of cassava flour: field trial in Mozambique of a simple kit. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 1998;49(2):93-9.Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB). Internet: (accessed 1/7/07). Delmer, D. Agriculture in the developing world. PNAS. 102(44): Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations. The State of Food Insecurity Internet: ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/a0750e/a0750e02.pdf (accessed 1/27/07).

47 References Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (WHO). Evaluation of Allergenicity of Genetically Modified Foods Gouse M, Pray C, and Schimmelpfennig D. The Distribution of Benefits from Bt Cotton Adoption in South Africa. AgBioForum. 2004;7(4): Haung, J. et al. (2002) Plant in China. Science 295: Hossain, et al. (2004) Genetically Modified Cotton and Farmer s Health in China. International Journal of Environmental Health, 10: India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue. Indian Embassy Web Site Internet: (accessed 3/31/07). International Food Information Council Foundation (IFIC). (2006). Food 101: A Primer on the Science and the Public Debate. 1 hour CPE, Level I, (accessed 1/26/07) International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). (2002). Ending Hunger in Africa: Only the Small Farmer Can Do It. (accessed 1/7/07)

48 References International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Ending Hunger in Africa: Prospects for the Small Farmer. Internet: (accessed 1/7/07) Ismael, Yousouf; Bennett, Richard and Morse, Stephen. (2002). Benefits from Bt Cotton Use by Smallholder Farmers in South Africa. AgBioForum, 5 (1): 1-5. James, C. (2006). ISAAA Brief 35, Global status of commercialized biotech/gm crops: International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. Johanson A and Ives C. (2001). An Inventory of for the Eastern and Central Africa Region. Support Project (ABSP), Michigan State University. Kambhampati U, Morse S, Bennett R, and Ismael Y. Perceptions of the impacts of genetically modified cotton varieties: A case study of the cotton industry in Gujarat, India. AgBioForum. 2005;8(2&3): Kershen, Drew. (2006). Health and Food Safety: The Benefits of Bt- Corn. Food and Drug Law Journal 61, Number 2. Mendoza, Concepcion et al. (2001) Absorption of the iron unmodified maize and genetically altered low-phytate maize fortified with ferrous sulfate or sodium iron EDTA. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73: Morse, Stephen; Bennett, Richard and Ismael, Yousouf. (2004). Why Bt cotton pays for small scale producers in South Africa. Nature, 22 (4): Philippines Bureau of Statistics. Internet: (accessed 5/1/07).

49 References Philippine Department of Agriculture. Bt corn What you need to know. Internet: (accessed 5/1/07). Pew Initiative on Food and. (2004). Feeding the World: A Look at and World Hunger. Purdue University. (2003). Food : Dreams from the Fields. 1-3 hours CPE, Level II, (accessed 1/26/07) Royal Society of London, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Science Academy, the Mexican Academy of Sciences and the Third World Academy of Sciences. Transgenic Plants and World Agriculture. National Academy Press: Washington, DC Internet: (accessed 1/26/07) Runge CF and Ryan B. The Global Diffusion of Plant : International Adoption and Research in Report for the Council on Information SEARCA Information Center and Philippine Department of Agriculture Third World Academy of Sciences Key to Developing World s Future. Press Release 28 October Internet: (accessed July 9, 2007). Thomson, Jennifer. (2004). The Status of Plant in Africa. AgBioForum, 7 (1&2): 9-12.

50 References United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs/Population Division. (2004). World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision, Volume III: Analytical Report. Internet: ol3_final/chapter1.pdf (accessed January 26, 2007). United Nations Millennium Project Task Force on Hunger. (2005), Halving Hunger: It can be done, (accessed 1/27/07) Wambugu, Florence. (2003). Development and Transfer of Genetically Modified Virus-resistant Sweet Potato for Subsistence Farmers in Kenya. Nutrition Reviews, 61 (6): World Bank. Agriculture and Rural Development. Internet: enupk:336688~pagepk:149018~pipk:149093~thesitepk:336682,00. html (accessed 1/7/07) World Health Organization. Health and Development. Internet: (accessed 1/7/07).