A third of South Africa’s farming income depends on irrigation. Disruptions in power supply put huge chunks of the country’s agricultural fortunes at risk.
GM proponents say the technology leads to better crop yields and may solve food shortages and reduce pests. Opponents say GM is a threat to the environment and humans. So where does the truth lie?
A government-commissioned report estimated that South Australia’s ban on genetically modified crops cost canola growers A$33 million since 2004.
Greenpeace/AAP Image
South Australia has lifted its moratorium on GM crops, while Tasmania has extended its ban. But the question should no longer be a simple binary of being “for” or “against” GM technology.
A double rainbow is seen over blueberry fields in Pitt Meadows, B.C. Canada’s new national food policy is a hopeful step into the future for the country’s agri-food sector.
James Wheeler/Unsplash
Canada’s new food policy aims to bolster the economic impact of the agri-food sector while tackling issues like waste and childhood hunger.
Canola, the first ‘made-in-Canada’ crop, was a product of university research and became a huge economic boon to the country. In this 2016 photo, riders and their horses pass through a canola field near Cremona, Alta.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Canola is an example of an innovation that sprung from university research and became a major economic boon to Canada. It should be happening more often.