Right now, many smallholder farmers are trapped in subsistence, barely able to feed even themselves with what they grow. In fact, one half of the one billion malnourished people in the world are smallholder farmers or their families. For much of the world, therefore, enabling these smallholder farmers to boost the yields on their farms, produce a surplus, and create profits for reinvestment is the key to broader economic development and participation in the world economy.
Biotech is on the verge of delivering plants with greatly improved nutrition, including higher protein content, more vitamins, minerals and healthy fibre, and decreased allergens. Such breakthroughs are essential to feeding the planet's growing population, while preserving the environment.
"Organic" or "natural" food can be a legitimate life-style choice for those who are well off enough to afford it. But there are many misconceptions in the public's mind about what the label "organic" really means, such as the widespread belief that organic farmers don't use pesticides (they do), or that organic food is somehow safer than conventionally-farmed food (it's not).
Bob Thompson of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies discusses genetic engineering, why it is so important, and how it is basically a sped-up version of classical plant breeding. He questions the logic behind fear of GM food when it is the same science that has been used in vaccines for years.
Green State TV is an interview series, sponsored by Syngenta, that seeks to engage people in conversations about agriculture, the environment and other important issues such as world hunger and sustainability.
Check out Syngenta's Robert Berendes at the Mission Critical: Water Conference, discussing the contribution of smallholder farming to agricultural water solutions.
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How can we feed the world and protect the environment?
Alex Avery of the Hudson Institute talks about how best to protect the environment with regards to agriculture. Is it better to maximize productivity on a single acre and avoid cultivating additional land, or should farms share habitat with wildlife?