…a Nobel Laureate Molecular Biologist’s thought provoking take on GMOs and Bhutan
In a thought-provoking discussion on the future of genetic technologies, Molecular Biologist, and Nobel Laureate, Richard J. Roberts highlighted how genetically modified organisms (GMOs) could be a game-changer for improving food security in Bhutan. The conversation, which took place at Bhutan Innovation Forum (BIF), featured insights from a renowned expert in the field of genetic research and biotechnology.
Richard J. Roberts stated that one of the significant advantages of GMOs is the potential for improved crop yields, particularly through the introduction of drought resistance and insect resistance. “If you can increase yields, this means on one hectare, you can get perhaps double yield. So that means there is another hectare on which you would be growing plants, otherwise that could be left over for biodiversity,” he said, adding that GMOs can preserve biodiversity by enhancing land productivity.
Richard shared that organic farming is not as efficient, and controversial to GMOs as well. “Instead of being against GMOs, organic farmers would do very well if-instead of being against GMOs, which they tend to be at the moment-they adopt GMO technology to improve the quality of the plants they grow,” he explained, outlining how GMOs can contribute to sustainability.
However, he said that he has no idea about the detailed agriculture practice here in Bhutan to know exactly what one should do. “But it would be easy to find some of the people who are interested in this area to know exactly what would be good,” he shared, adding that a project is underway in Lebanon to introduce GMOs, working with head of Business School to reduce poverty in Lebanon by allowing poor smallholder farmers who are typically the poorest people in the country, to get better yields out of their land. “Bangladesh has expressed interest in this too, and earlier this year, I was in Madagascar, talking to the people from USAID, and they were interested in doing something similar in Madagascar. You could do something similar here too in Bhutan and I could clearly see a lot of opportunities.”
When moderator Samantha Simmonds asked what key challenges Bhutan would face while adopting this kind of cutting-edge technologies, Richard said that there has been a campaign, a concerted campaign by Greenpeace to say how dangerous the GMOs are. “However, over the course of 35 years, not one scientifically documented problem with GMOs has occurred,” he said, adding that the people have been eating GMOs in the developed world, even in the developing countries.
For instance, in South Africa, Bt-corn which was introduced recently was incredibly successful. “In Zimbabwe, they’re now starting to do that and in India too, they’re starting, finally, to really do something. They had Bt-corn for a while, and that was very successful. They introduced a new product last year and so we’re hoping that India will, infact, decide that GMOs are good,” he said, adding that here is an opportunity, a market right on your doorstep just waiting for improved crops, things that will make life better for the people.
Richard shared that in the developing countries, every night around 800 million people go to bed hungry. “GMOs could help there.” Additionally, he suggested that Bhutan should cultivate a scientific culture of innovation through internships and collaborations, promoting local entrepreneurship in biotechnology.
Moving forward, Richard expressed optimism about the potential for Bhutan and similar developing countries to leverage advanced genetic technologies. “The government here could support that. It’s not an expensive business,” he stated.
Meanwhile, while reflecting on Bhutan’s principles of mindfulness and compassion, Richard remarked, “When I first heard people describing Bhutan, particularly the King, I thought they were describing New England Biolabs, the company that I work for, because almost every principle guiding the mindfulness, the compassion the people in Bhutan feel for one another is something that is within our company.”
Responding to inquiries about GMOs, Richard commented how he started his company GMO. “These are organisms in which, instead of relying on traditional breeding methods in order to introduce new genes into plants or animals. We now know how to do that in a very specific, very organized fashion.” He provided examples of successful GMO applications, such as Golden Rice, which was developed to combat vitamin A deficiency in children and genetic modified insulin which was used to treat diabetes.
By Nidup Lhamo, Thimphu
