Given the challenges that global agriculture faces, we cannot afford to abandon modern crop science. Genetically modified (GM) crops can contribute to raising yields and farm incomes, improving nutrition, and reducing environmental externalities. Some of these benefits are already observable, including in the small farm sector of developing countries. Nonetheless, widespread public reservations have led to a complex system of regulations. Overregulation has become a real threat for further GM crop development and use. The costs in terms of foregone benefits may be large, especially for the poor.
 
Professor Dr Matin Qaim
Department of Agricultural
Economics and Rural Development Georg-August University of Göttingen
Göttingen, Germany
mqaim@uni-goettingen.de