DR. WAYNE McLaughlin, head of the Biotechnology Centre at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, says genetic modification techniques have been used on Jamaican food crops.
He told participants at a recent Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) forum in Kingston, that Jamaica had been using genetic modification to make the local tomato crop resistant to the 'jherri curl' disease and to protect papaya and scotch bonnet pepper from the harmful effects of certain viruses.
He also argued that there was no evidence that genetically modified foods caused harmful effects in humans or animals.
His remarks were made against the background of the heated debate in Europe and North America about the safety of genetically modified foods.
He said the genetic modification of plants involved inserting genes resistant to particular diseases. He also listed the potential benefits of genetic modification as increased crop yields, a reduced need for pesticide, increased resistance to viruses, smaller losses due to spoilage and the improved nutritional quality of crops.
Genetic
modification
Downplaying concerns about negative effects on the environment, he said there were techniques to control the movement of genes. Pointing out that there was no danger to organisms not targeted for genetic modification, he explained that "it has been shown that pollen from genetically modified food, in the normal concentration in the environment, will not affect the butterfly larvae in the natural state."
Dr. McLaughlin, said for Jamaica to take advantage of the benefits of biotechnology there had to be more investment in research and development. He said it was important to have an intellectual property law in place so that Jamaica could benefit from the ownership of things developed locally.
