Government scientific adviser: GM may help feed growing population

One of the government's chief scientific advisers will wade into the debate on genetically modified (GM) foods later today, by arguing that they could make a valuable contribution to feeding the growing global population as the climate continues to change.

Speaking as part of a debate on the role of GM to mark the opening of the Science Museum's new Future Foods exhibition, Bob Watson, chief scientific adviser at Defra, will make the case for further scientific trials to gauge the risks and benefits GM crops could deliver.

"People are asking how we will be able to feed the world’s growing population during a time of dangerous climate change," he will say. "While GM food is clearly not the whole answer, it may contribute through improved crop traits such as temperature, drought, pest and salinity tolerance. Hence additional scientific studies will allow us to assess the risks and benefits."

The comments will be roundly condemned by many green groups which have long opposed so-called "frankenfoods" and in some cases even taken direct action to disrupt scientific trials for GM crops.

However, advocates of GM are increasingly arguing that modified crops with improved yields may represent one of the most effective means of feeding a growing population, avoiding the need to resort to yet more intensive agricultural techniques and further deforestation.

Rodomiro Ortiz, director of resources mobilisation at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre is also expected to make the case for further research into GM crops at today's debate, arguing that “genetic engineering has the potential to address some of the most challenging constraints faced by farmers in developing-world agriculture."

He will add that "transgenics also provides means for transferring traits that may enhance crop adaptation to global warming and water scarcity due to climate change", and argue that "the poor of the developing world should benefit from the deployment of desirable transgenic crops that follows scientifically sound biosafety and food safety standards and appropriate intellectual property management and stewardship."

Friends of the Earth rejected Watson's calls for more research into GM, insisting that previous trials had failed to deliver encouraging results.

"GM crops have failed to deliver – they do not yield more than conventional crops and there is not a single GM drought or salt tolerant crop available commercially," said a spokeswoman for the company. "Instead of trying to convince the public to support GM crops and continuing to fund this unpopular and ineffective technology, the Government must focus on the real farming solutions - combining science and technology with communities' traditional knowledge."