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.”

All this leads to the final question: Who would actually benefit from growing GM crops? The answer is simple, but not included in Mr King’s article: Laughing all the way to the bank are the shareholders of the large multinational biotech companies who have long ago discovered that controlling food production means endless wealth. The signs of a new era of serfdom, especially for the Third World, are on the wall.

Richard Auler

Ladybird Organic Farm

Cahir

Co Tipperary