Sir, – Today (February 7th) will see our MEPs vote on whether to relax the rules on new genomic techniques. Similar legislation has already been passed in places such as the UK, Canada, the US, Australia, China, Kenya, Nigeria and much of South America.
This technology allows scientists to make precise changes to a plant’s genome in order to create crops that can withstand pests, pathogens and stresses such as drought, and can improve the nutritional content of edible plants.
In an era where there are intense pressures on our food system, this is a clarion call to our MEPs. Please do not tie the hands of our scientists, farmers and food producers by voting against this proposal.
This is a world where more than 800 million people and counting, go to bed hungry every day, where more two billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, where ill-health results from a lack of basic nutrients in the diet, preventing people from working, where poverty abounds as a result.
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We need to work together using knowledge and safe technologies that improve the lot of all. Do the right thing and give humanity a chance by voting yes for new genomic techniques. – Yours, etc,
Dr BARBARA DOYLE PRESTWICH,
Head of Plant Science,
School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences,
University College Cork.
