Seeds money
The Economist: Letters, December 18-31 2010 (p20)
http://www.economist.com/node/17730743

SIR - Your otherwise excellent leader on adapting to climate change was marred by the assertion that people should abandon their "prejudice" against genetic engineering in order to secure food supplies ("How to live with climate change", November 27th). Although it is true that drought-resistant seeds will be needed - as will low-chill fruit trees and root crops - they are not likely to come from genetic engineering. This is because it can cost up to $5m and take up to 15 years of R&D for each new patented biotech cultivar. It is unlikely that genetically engineered organisms can be deployed quickly enough to respond to climate change.

It would be far more cost-effective to support local farmers in their breeding and evaluation of selected varieties already in community seed banks. The diversity of heirloom seeds offers rural communities far more pragmatic options than the Gates Foundation and Monsanto can generate with all their wealth.

Gary Paul Nabhan
Professor
University of Arizona
Tucson
Carol Thompson
Professor
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff