Royal Society report criticised for focus on GM crops

The Royal Society wants the UK to lead international research efforts to deliver the massive increase in food crop production (more than 50 per cent) needed to meet global food demands by 2050.

Its report – 'Reaping The Benefits: Science And The Sustainable Intensification Of Global Agricultur'e – calls on the Government to put its weight behind a ‘Grand Challenge’ research programme, directing £200 million a year for the next ten years to science that improves crops and sustainable crop management.  

Professor Sir David Baulcombe FRS, who chaired the Royal Society's study, said: "We need to take action now to stave off food shortages. If we wait even five to ten years, it may be too late. 

“Biological science has progressed in leaps and bounds in the last decade and UK scientists have been at the head of the pack when it comes to topics related to food crops. 

“In the UK we have the potential to come up with viable scientific solutions for feeding a growing population and we have a responsibility to realise this potential. There's a very clear need for policy action and publicly-funded science to make sure this happens."

The Grand Challenge programme would support what the Royal Society describes as “neglected areas of research”, including the exploration of new methods of crop management to increase yields and minimise environmental impact. 

The Royal Society also wants it to support the development of improved crop varieties by both conventional breeding and genetic modification.

While acknowledging that science has a key role to play in reducing hunger and poverty in the world, Friends of the Earth's GM campaigner Kirtana Chandrasekaran criticised the report's focus on GM crops which she described as a “failing” technology.

"GM crops are an extension of big-business factory farming that is already wiping out wildlife, destroying communities and making climate change worse," she said.

"The UK Government has already invested millions of pounds in GM technology, with little benefit to farmers, consumers and the planet – meanwhile research into green farming methods have been starved of funds.”

Emma Hockridge, Soil Association policy coordinator, added: “GM is past its sell by date. For over two decades huge claims have been made about the potential for GM, which have not come to fruition.

“Why is an organisation like the Royal Society banging the drum for a failing technology when exciting new developments such as ‘marker assisted selection’, included in the report recommendations, are producing almost all of the successful innovations in crop breeding?”

She added: “In the US there have been two federal court cases which have banned new GM crops because they remove the right of farmers to grow non-GM crops. The stark reality is that if we have GM crops grown in this country it will eventually destroy the livelihoods of organic farmers.”