GM crops not the answer to global food crisis

STEPHEN King’s recent article “Never mind the earth-lovers, GM food is what the world badly needs” (July 23) is yet another piece of cheap sensationalist journalism.

I’m still trying to find out what actually was the purpose of this article. To inform your readers? No score on that, I’m afraid. To explain the rise of food prices? Another failure, not even an attempt to look at this issue from a global perspective. Or a mention of the fact that the rise is largely due to international speculators investing in agricultural commodities.

The increasing hunger worldwide? Sorry, no points on that. Asked at a recent press conference if GM crops were the answer to world hunger, IAASTD director Prof Bob Watson (now chief scientist at Britain’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) said: “The simple answer is no.”