Hope Not Hype - Third World Network

94 Hope Not Hype
GM fish production also has an uncertain future (Maclean, 2003). Although fish are
“particularly amenable to genetic manipulation” (van Eenennaam and Olin, 2006, p. 126),
the fact that they also are prone “to escape confinement and potentially invade native
ecosystems elevates the ecological concerns associated with their genetic modification”
(van Eenennaam and Olin, 2006, p. 126). Meanwhile, the industry again has failed to
close critical research gaps to allow GM fish to be properly evaluated.
However, for most transgenic fish, insufficient publicly accessible data are available to resolve
the complex issues that are necessary both for risk assessments and to develop consumer
and commercial confidence. For transgenic fish technology to move forward, empirical risk
assessment research needs to be undertaken and presented in parallel with strain development,
enabling this maturing technology to have the essential information available to support
regulatory and social requirements (Devlin et al., 2006, p. 89).
Table 7.1: Food security among the developing GM “mega-countries” 1
Mega-Country 2 Proportion in GM Food Supply
Cultivation (%)
Argentina 65 Decreasing since 1995-1997
Brazil 23
Paraguay 66 Decreasing since 1995-1997
Uruguay 35
1
Based on hectares in GM cultivation according to James (2007) and total arable land plus permanent
crops according to FAOSTAT in 2003.
2
Shading indicates growth in undernourished population (FAOSTAT).
So while progress “in transgenic technologies has allowed the generation of
genetically modified large animals for applications in agriculture and biomedicine” (Kues
and Niemann, 2004, p. 286),
[i]n contrast to the undoubted efficacy of conventional genetic selection, which delivers
sustained improvements year-on-year, transgenic strategies for genetic improvement have
simply not delivered. Explicitly put, no transgenic livestock have been generated that were
deemed worthy of incorporation into livestock breeding regimes (Clark and Whitelaw, 2003,
p. 827).
Both the World Bank and advocates of transgenic approaches have recognized the
solid track record of livestock improvement through conventional approaches.
The cross-breeding of dairy cows with exotic breeds has improved the livelihoods of
smallholder farmers in high-potential areas in the tropics. About 100 million cattle and pigs
are bred annually in the developing world using artificial insemination. And thanks largely
to artificial insemination, about 1.8 million small-scale farmers in the highlands of East