Sowing the Seeds of Insecurity: The Impacts of Agricultural Biotechnology in Canada and India

Abstract

Global food production must increase by fifty percent to meet the food security demands of nine billion people by 2050. It is argued that agricultural biotechnology is a potential solution for addressing global food security concerns. This study compares central claims made in support of agricultural biotechnology against the case study of Bt maize in Ontario, Canada and Punjab, India. While results indicate that these claims are empirically founded, as this technology is controlled by the private sector, food security is being eroded not strengthened; particularly in developing nations where socio-economic conditions create immense pressure to adopt foreign technology. For agricultural biotechnology to be an effective strategy for addressing global food security, the state must regain its role in research, development and oversight efforts. If used in conjunction with strategies that promote a favourable policy environment, agricultural biotechnology could serve as a powerful tool for addressing global food security concerns.