From Anne Geddes-Shalit, Karlstad University
Ehsan Masood asks: “Scientists and farmers in the US are among the most
experienced in the world, so shouldn’t Africa be tapping into their
expertise?”
He seems to believe that farmers in Africa have less expertise than US
farmers. That might be true for industrialised, high-input agriculture but it’s
patently false for small-scale farming. Small farmers in Asia and Africa have an
astounding array of crops and cultivation technologies which, when properly
used, easily match the yields of modern industrialised agriculture.
A gene technology which keeps this in mind and is willing to relax on profits
may yet contribute to feeding the hungry.
Karlstad, Sweden
