Conference on “Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM Crops: 2012”

Mr Clive James, one of the founders of ISAAA and chairman of ISAAA said, the main reason for this growth is their benefits brought in the reality. The report said, among 28 countries applying the biotechnology 20 are developing countries and 8 industry ones.

The U.S. continues to be the leading country of  cultivation area of 69.5 million ha with 90% of applied biotech crops. The two countries of Sudan and Cuba are the two new countries for the first time applying biotech in cultivation in 2012.

In the period of 2013 - 2015 there will be a number of new biotech crops including HT/IR soybean and drought-resistant maize in Brazil and in the U.S. in 2013.

In the opinion of Dr Clive James, the year of 2015 was identified as milestones for the implementation of the Millennium Development goals, cutting down by 50% of the number of hungry people in the world. Vietnam is one of the countries soon completing this goal, similar to some areas in the North East of Brazil. In case of biotechnology application in crops greater results will be achieved. Vietnam is potential in cultivating biotech maize in Asia, with an area of about 1 million ha. The international cooperative way to create the best opportunities for poverty reduction and global success in the agricultural sector is technology application.

Translated by CIS