Topic: 2024-GMOs and Food Security
Country: Egypt
Delegate Name: Mackenzee Stanley-Eldred
Lack of food security leads to malnutrition, instability, and hinders development, particularly in vulnerable populations. GMOs can help address food insecurity by enhancing crop resilience, increasing yields, and providing more nutritious food in regions vulnerable to environmental stress and food shortages. Egypt advocates for the advancement of GMOs with a focus on safety and prioritizing the interests of its people, ensuring both food security and environmental protection.
Genetically modified crops in Egypt, particularly Bt cotton and drought-resistant maize, have contributed to a reduction in food instability by increasing yields and lowering production costs. For example, Bt cotton has resulted in a 20-25% increase in yield while reducing pesticide use by up to 50%, benefiting both farmers’ income and food supply.
In Africa, genetically modified drought-tolerant maize has improved yields by 20-30% in countries like South Africa and Zimbabwe, helping farmers cope with increasingly unpredictable rainfall. In South Africa, the introduction of genetically modified maize resistant to the fall armyworm has significantly improved food security. Since the adoption of this GM maize in 2018, farmers have seen a 30-40% increase in maize yields, despite the pest’s widespread damage, helping to stabilize food supplies in the region.
Egypt believes that the advancements of GMOs are crucial for enhancing food security and agricultural productivity, even though health and environmental concerns remain, as long as rigorous safety protocols are followed. Egypt proposes expanding the use of GMOs, including drought-resistant and pest-resistant crops, alongside strict regulatory oversight, to enhance food security and agricultural resilience in the face of climate change and population growth.
Sources:
FAO (2020). The Role of Biotechnology in Food Security and Agricultural Sustainability. Food and Agriculture Organization.
Egypt Ministry of Agriculture. “Genetically Modified Crops in Egypt: Status and Policy,” 2020.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023,” FAO.
International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA). “Global Status of Biotech Crops: 2020.”
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “The Role of Biotechnology in Food Security,” 2022.
