US wants biotech to help solve global food crisis

Yahoo News 13 Jun 08;

A senior US official on Friday urged countries to remove barriers to the use of biotechnology and other innovations that would increase food production at a time of crisis.

"We must address the policies and trade barriers that increase food prices by preventing access to food and to the best technologies available to produce food," Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said.

"In the long term, we believe sustainable food security will come from advances in science and technology and the creation of an efficient global market for both agriculture products and food production technologies," he said.

"We therefore are strongly encouraging countries to remove barriers to the use of innovative plant and animal production technologies, including biotechnology," Negroponte said.

"Biotechnology tools can help speed the development of crops with higher yields, higher nutrition value, better resistance to pests and diseases, and stronger food system resilience in the face of climate change," he said.

"Are there negative food and climate change implications associated with increased demand for biofuels?" he asked.

"We think this has had minor impact, but are dedicating substantial resources for research for cellulosic biofuel technology," he said.

"We are also working hard to conclude a successful Doha agreement that will reduce and eliminate tariffs and other barriers as well as market-distorting subsidies for agriculture goods," he said.

"Over 40 developing countries unwisely have put trade-restrictive policy measures into place," he said, adding that export restrictions should be lifted.

"They (the export restrictions) have taken food off the global market, driven prices higher, and isolated farmers from the one silver lining of the rise in food prices -- higher incomes for agriculture producers," he said.

Negroponte was speaking at a ceremony to name former US senators Robert Dole and George McGovern the winners of the 250,000 dollar World Food Prize for their role in "encouraging a global commitment to school feeding."