From Jeff Sachs' Column

in the December, 2009.Scientific American:

Since 1970 the population has risen from 3.7 billion to 6.9 billion and continues to increase by around 80 million a year. Food production per person has declined in some big regions, notably sub-Saharan Africa. In India the doubling of population has absorbed almost all of the increase in grain production.

Food production accounts for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions when one tallies those from fossil fuels used in growing, preparing and transporting food; the carbon dioxide released by clearing land for farming and pastures; the methane from rice paddies and ruminant livestock; and the nitrous oxide from fertilizer use.

Comment: Crop improvement is always based on changing the genetic makeup of the crop. In traditional breeding, the changes are made wholesale. Using biotechnology the changes are made retail. Of course, and new crop depends for its productivity on its match to local growing circumstances, and of course any new crop should be proven safe. But the irrational fear of GM crops, especially that based on ignorance, is keeping the world from full exploitation of the best available approaches to crop improvement. I hope we will get over the irrational fears before the increased population and the increased per capita demand for high input foods (beef) overwhelm our productive capacity and increase hunger. JAD