Transgenic Crops and Developing Countries

The use of biotechnology to grow transgenic crops with specific beneficial traits is being touted as the way ahead to feed the rapidly growing populations in poor countries. However, the drive in agricultural biotechnology is led largely by industrial countries, and particularly by private companies, with possible attendant bottlenecks in the use of such technology by poor countries. This article tries to give a comprehensive overview of the merits and limitations of transgenic crop technologies in a development context.