This week, Bill and Melinda Gates spoke to the Wall Street Journal at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, about how food biotechnology can help those in Africa. During the interview, they explained how biotech foods help make crops more resistant to pests, drought, and flooding, and also increase yields. This allows farmers to feed themselves and their families and sell their produce, which ultimately will lift up the economy by allowing to them to compete in a global market.
“Yeah, what are called GMOs are done by changing the genes of the plant,” Bill Gates said. “And it’s done in a way where there’s a very thorough safety procedure. And it’s pretty incredible because it reduces the amount of pesticide you need, raises productivity, [and] can help with malnutrition by getting vitamin fortification.”
Africa and the rest of the world are facing new challenges in producing a global food supply, such as climate change, invasive species, new pests and diseases, etc. Biotechnology is one tool that can boost a plant’s defenses to these challenges and allow farmers to produce abundant, safe, and healthy crops.
Bill Gates is a big supporter of food biotechnology. Last year, he championed biotechnology, explaining how it can improve the agricultural process and protect the environment.
For more information on food biotechnology, check out our Food Biotech Resources Page and Fact Sheet.