Efforts to improve food security in the developing world have been
hampered due to myths surrounding GM agriculture. This book explores the
theory, evidence and rhetoric of the impact of food production on the
environment, and the impact of the environment on food production. The
chapters address: food security and technology; expertise and
opportunism; the promise of technology; the politicization of risk;
industrial agriculture; the meaning of 'natural'; the potential of the
local food movement; food labelling; genetic diversity in the
agro-industrial era; sustainability and chemical application; plant
vitality; and future prospects for food security. Each chapter includes
a personal introduction from the authors about the issues at hand,
followed by a detailed analysis with further references. The book
considers the origins of concerns and then examines the evidence around
the issues, and the impacts in terms of policy, regulation and
agricultural practice. It also:
- Refutes common consumer and environmental organization myths about
biotechnology.
- Highlights the importance of food security in both the developing and
developed world.
- Provides a pro-science approach to increasing food security.
This book will be of interest to students and researchers in
biotechnology, food security and public understanding of science, and
also to policy makers, regulators and industry managers.
