Modern Biotechnology’s Significance to Current Agricultural Scenario
Monday, September 6th, 2010
Our world is threatened by food shortage (among other threats) resulting from climate change and population growth. Climate change is making yields of food crops unpredictable as they depend on the weather under traditional farming practices. And population growth is tending to push up demand for food beyond availability.
A solution to the problem under such a scenario might lie in the adoption of modern biotechnology in traditional societies. For example, Professor Walter Sandow Alhassan, Project Coordinator for Safe Biotechnology Management in Sub-Saharan Africa (SABIMA) under the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), recently called upon the people of Ghana, Africa, to adopt modern biotechnology in farming.
Modern biotechnology is seeking to tackle several issues related to farming. The following are some of the major issues biotechnology is seeking to help with:
* Expansion of arable land by developing crops that can grow in areas formerly unfit for the crops
* Increasing the yield of crops through genetic modification of the crops
* Preventing pollution of human and animal habitats that occurs now from agro-chemical runoffs
* Finding a way to tackle the crop pests that have so far proven intractable
* Finding cures for the diseases that affect plants and animals
* Developing alternatives for fossil fuels used in agricultural operations, as the fuel supplies are not only getting exhausted but also becoming costlier
* Tackling the stresses resulting from climate change
Read the news story at GhanaWeb.
Tags: biotechnology, climate change, food crops, food shortage
Posted in biotechnology, crop science, diseases, genetic modification | No Comments »
Greenpeace Recognizes Climate Change Action by Companies
Friday, April 30th, 2010
Greenpeace has formulated a 100 point scale to measure climate change contributions by companies. It awards 50 points for “climate solutions”, 35 for lobbying and making public statements about climate change, and the remaining points for renewable energy use and setting emission targets.
Cisco received top award with 62 points for its telecommuting, green building design and energy management initiatives, among others. The company had also set a target for reducing emissions by 25 percent during the five year period from 2007 to 2012. The company’s executives were also present at United Nations’ Copenhagen climate negotiations last year.
Ericsson, who came second, had carried out a life-cycle analysis of IT solutions like phones and Internet communication comparing it to the traditional solution of driving to a physical workplace.
The third placed IBM provided a range of emission-cutting services, including smart grid software and supply chain carbon management. IBM also publicized the results of its congestion pricing project in Stockholm that had reduced traffic by 18 percent over a one year period.
Google scored for it public advocacy, particularly its CEO Eric Schmidt’s November 2008 speech calling for federal support for research and development, energy efficiency and broadband infrastructure. However, the company came in for criticism for not disclosing its emissions.
Read the news report at New York Times
Tags: climate change, corporate responsibility, greenpeace
Posted in corporate responsibility, environment, renewable energy, sustainable development | No Comments »
