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Ugandan scientists developing drought tolerant coffee varieties to save valuable cash crop
After releasing coffee varieties resistant to wilt disease, Ugandan agricultural scientists have begun developing Robusta varieties that are drought-tolerant as well. But because Uganda lacks a biosafety law, researchers said they cannot use faster gene editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas to develop the new varieties. Instead, they anticipate the process…
Gene editing can help agriculture adapt to climate change and meet UN Food Systems Summit goals
Gene editing continues to show great promise for developing more resilient and climate-smart crops to counter the mounting threat of climate change and its adverse effects on global food security, new research shows. With its vast potential to alleviate food insecurity and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable populations, gene editing…
Gene editing: Powerful tool for managing climate change
Growing up, my family spent summer weekends on the beaches of New York State. Riding in a car packed with kids and stuff, someone would note how swelteringly hot it had been getting lately. Never missing my cue, I would scream with little restraint, “GLOBAL WARMING, GLOBAL WARMING, GLOBAL WARMING,”…
Gene editing has ‘limitless potential’ to reduce malnutrition, says global food expert
Gene editing is a tool with unlimited potential to help reduce malnutrition globally, said Dr. Lawrence Haddad, executive director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). The world needs the technology because billions of people are struggling to access the nutritious meals required to stay healthy, Haddad said. The…
Biotechnology can protect Africa’s biodiversity, says conservation biologist
Though biotechnology is most often seen as a tool to meet Africa’s food needs, it could also play a role in protecting the continent’s unique biodiversity. Ugandan environmental activist, geneticist and conservation biologist Clet Wandui Masiga asserts that biotechnology has in fact helped to preserve and protect Africa’s biodiversity, a…
Western consumers have positive attitudes toward gene-edited foods, two new studies find
Western consumers tend to have a generally positive view about genome-edited foods, though their awareness of the technology remains low, two new studies have found. One survey, conducted by the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), looked at attitudes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, while the other, conducted…
UN Food Systems Summit: Biotechnology key to meeting zero hunger goals
Agricultural biotechnology is a crucial tool for transforming global food systems to meet the United Nation’s goal of ensuring zero hunger by 2030, say some scientists, academics and civil society representatives. Evidence abounds that biotechnology has had a positive overall impact on agriculture in the areas where it has been…
How engineered bacteria could clean up oilsands pollution and mining waste
Rampant industrialization has caused our planet to warm at an unprecedented rate. Glaciers are melting away and sea levels are rising. Droughts last longer and are more devastating. Forest fires are more intense. Extreme, once-in-a-generation weather events — such as Category 5 hurricanes — seem…
Genetic engineering offers hope for effective vaccine against malaria
Scientists have used genetic engineering to develop a vaccine that offers full protection against malaria in animal studies. Researchers and health officials have long sought a vaccine against malaria, which in 2019 sickened an estimated 229 million people and caused 409,000 deaths globally. Once infected, many people suffer recurring bouts…