Saturday, January 19, 2008

the top agricultural breakthroughs of 2007

SUSTAINABILITY NEWS OF THE WEEK:
THE TOP AGRICULTURAL BREAKTHROUGHS OF 2007

Although the biotech industry and our indentured corporate mass media would have us believe that recent scientific advances in food and farming are derived from genetic engineering and chemicals, according to UK-based GM Watch, the real breakthroughs in farming in 2007 came from organic and sustainable agriculture:

1) In 2007 a deluge of new scientific studies from a wide variety of institutions indicate that in comparison to genetically modified (GM) crops, organic agriculture can better feed the world, reduce global warming, provide greater nutrition, and boost the economy. Digesting new research on the topic, the United Nations announced that organic agriculture is the best way to feed the world and help stabilize the climate.

2) A wide range of new, non-GM crops over the last year are bringing hope to farmers around the world. Some of these include:- A wheat variety that can withstand high salinity in soil, thereby opening up vast tracks of land previously considered "dead".- Non-GM corn and rice varieties that can tolerate droughts.- Indian farmers find traditional cotton varieties to be much more stress-resistant than GM cotton. - Iron fortified non-GMO maize strain reduces anemia rates in children. -Discovery of non-GM variety of allergen-free peanut.

Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_9572.cfm

3 comments:

Jen-Jen said...

Hm, a non-GM allergen-free peanut? Sounds good to me! I am pretty sure that my sensitivity to peanuts is from cross-sensitivity to GMO soy. It was taking soy lecithin that gave me my first food-induced migraine (besides yogurt and cheese).

But saline-resistant wheat sounds like it might cause more desertification in the long run if they grow it in marginal soil that has been over-irrigated. But who knows?

Anonymous said...

Bravo, excellent idea and is duly

Anonymous said...

Knowledge is power. (Proverbs 24:5)