How Will Genetic Engineering Shape Sustainable Agriculture?
March 16, 2010 Pam Ronald’s new book on organic farming and the future of food, Tomorrow’s Table, highlights the latest research in the field of genetic engineering, and the ways it might solve water, habitat and toxicity issues inherent in conventional farming. We ask her five questions about her work, the education of future farmers, and how transgenic crops fight hunger in the developing world. Oxford University Press, USA CE: You aren’t exactly an apologist for genetic engineering, but you note that there are times when it is appropriate, such as when it can significantly reduce the need for pesticides. Can you elaborate on that a little? PR: The debate on genetic engineering is often a distraction from the most important issue, which is how we can make our agriculture more sustainable. What are the criteria for sustainability? For example, food should be safe to eat, we need to minimize the amount of wild lands that we devote to farming, we need to preserve biodiversity, and reduc
