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Uganda scientists push for adoption of GM crops as anti-biotechnology activists spread misinformation
Even though GMOs have been scientifically proven to be safe and would be an invaluable component of Uganda’s food security strategy, they continue to be a target of attack by politicians and civil society groups. Uganda, ironically, has the largest number of GM crops under test at…
Gene drive: Emerging mosquito threats in Africa call for new technologies to fight malaria
Even with the extensive use of control strategies such as indoor residual spraying, drug treatment, and the provision of insecticide-treated nets, Africa continues to bear the world’s highest malaria burden. In 2021, the continent accounted for 95 percent of all malaria cases (234 million) and 96 percent of all malaria…
Latin America: a biotech laboratory and world champion in GMOs and gene editing
Since the commercial release of GMOs began in the mid-1990s, Latin America has been a key region in the industry. Apart from their prominence in world soccer, Brazil and Argentina continue to consolidate their position as the world’s second and third-largest producers of GMOs, respectively. Paraguay, Uruguay, and…
Invest more in agricultural innovations to tackle food insecurity, experts urge
Governments have been urged to increase investment in research and technological innovations to help deal with food insecurity. Speaking during a dialogue session at the World Food Prize event in Des Moines, Iowa – USA, Samantha Power, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator, said there is evidence…
Climate change: Gene editing can help create resilient crops
Experts say enhanced access to gene editing can help create resilient crops that respond appropriately to climate change. Some agricultural sector experts are advocating for enhanced access to improved technology like gene editing in crop production. They say this can help create resilient crops to respond to the negative impact…
New biotechnologies can help restore extinct species, say conservation scientists.
New biotechnologies such as de-extinction and cloning could help to bring extinct animals back from the dead and revive millions of endangered species, conservation advocates say. Ben Novak, who leads a project to revive passenger pigeons that died out in captivity in the 1900’s at Revive and Restore, says…
Sarah Evanega lauded for public service in science
Sarah Evanega, an imaginer who pioneered innovative approaches to science communication, today won the Mary Clutter Service in Science Public Service Award. Evanega, the founding director of the Alliance for Science who now serves as lead of stakeholder engagements at Pairwise, has long been…
African scientists lead the continent’s gene editing research
Research using gene editing technology is being undertaken on the continent largely by African scientists to provide solutions for Africa, according to a panel of scientists and regulatory experts. Their work is drawing upon the efficiency and precision of gene editing to restore staples that African farmers…
Pressure mounts on EU and NZ to review their strict anti-GMO policies
Two anti-GMO stalwarts — the European Union (EU) and New Zealand — are showing signs of softening their stance toward the technology in the face of climate change impacts and pressure to innovate. Regulators and others in the EU and NZ are advising that existing regulations are out…