GMO Myths and Truths

7.2 Myth: GM crops are vital to achieve food security
Truth: Agroecological farming is the key to food security
“Agroecology mimics nature not industrial
processes. It replaces the external inputs
like fertilizer with knowledge of how a
combination of plants, trees and animals
can enhance productivity of the land.
Yields went up 214% in 44 projects in
20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa using
agroecological farming techniques over a
period of 3 to 10 years… far more than
any GM crop has ever done.”
– Olivier De Schutter, UN special rapporteur
on the right to food 22
In 2008 the World Bank and four United Nations
agencies completed a four-year study on the future
of farming. Conducted by over 400 scientists and
experts from 80 countries and endorsed by 62
governments, the International Assessment of
Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology
for Development (IAASTD) report did not endorse
GM crops as a solution to world hunger. The report
pointed out that yields of GM crops were “highly
variable”, providing “yield gains in some places
and yield declines in others”. 23
The IAASTD identified agroecological farming
as the key to future food security. The report
called for more cooperation between farmers
and interdisciplinary teams of scientists to
build culturally acceptable and sustainable food
production systems. 23 Examples of such systems
documented in IAASTD and other sources include:
● Low-input, energy-saving practices that
preserve and build soil, conserve water, and
enhance natural pest resistance and resilience
in crops
● Innovative farming methods that minimize
or eliminate costly chemical pesticides and
fertilizers
● Use of thousands of traditional varieties of
major food crops which are naturally adapted to
stresses such as drought, heat, harsh weather
conditions, flooding, salinity, poor soil, and
pests and diseases 24
● Programmes that enable farmers to
cooperatively preserve and improve traditional
seeds
● Use of existing crops and their wild relatives
in traditional breeding programmes to develop
varieties with useful traits
● Use of safe techniques of modern
biotechnology, such as marker assisted
selection (MAS), to speed up traditional
breeding. Unlike GM technology, MAS can
produce new varieties of crops with valuable
genetically complex properties such as
enhanced nutrition, taste, high yield, resistance
to pests and diseases, and tolerance to drought,
heat, salinity, and flooding. 25
Sustainable agriculture projects in the Global
South have produced dramatic increases in yields
and food security. 26,27,28,29,30,31 A 2008 United
Nations report looked at 114 farming projects in
24 African countries and found that organic or
near-organic practices resulted in yield increases
averaging over 100%. In East Africa, a yield
increase of 128% was found. The report concluded
that organic agriculture can be more conducive
to food security in Africa than chemically-based
production systems, and that it is more likely to be
sustainable in the long term. 29
These results serve as a reminder that plant
genetics are only a part of the answer to food
security. The other part is how crops are grown.
Sustainable farming methods that preserve soil
and water and minimize external inputs not only
ensure that there is enough food for the current
population, but that the land stays productive for
future generations.
7.2.1. Small farms are more efficient
Research confirms that future food security lies in
the hands of small farmers. Small farms are more
efficient than large ones, producing more crops per
hectare of land. 34,35,36,37
7.2.2. Sustainable agriculture can
reduce poverty
Studies based in Asia, Africa, Latin America
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