Plant Biotechnology Can Enhance Food Security and Nutrition in the Developing World Part 1

The world’s demand for food production will increase markedly in the coming years. Meeting this demand will require that we employ all manner of approaches, including the use of biotechnology, to produce results that cannot be achieved using traditional methods. This 2-part article reviews ongoing experiences in developing countries where crop biotechnology is being used to enhance the availability and/or nutritional value of local crops. In part 1, the authors describe strategies that seek to enhance yields of staples and to improve the yields of indigenous nutritious foods. In Part 2 of this article, the authors describe strategies that seek to enhance the nutrient density of foods that can increase net income to resource-poor farmers in developing countries.