THE Vatican seldom approves of scientists meddling with God鈥檚 creation. So the decision of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences to back oft-demonised genetically modified crops as an answer to world hunger and poverty may come as a surprise.
GM crops were heartily endorsed at a held by the academy in mid-May. Participants agreed that the crops offer food safety and security, better health and environmental sustainability. That verdict is not shared by the , Science and Technology for Development, a global UN-backed think tank that last year rejected GM as a solution to hunger.
Some say the seminar excluded who fear that GM technology allows multinationals to control agriculture at the expense of the poor. But participants deny bias: they also concluded that regulations are too strict, so only big companies can afford to get GM crops approved, whereas non-profit organisations that want to help the poor cannot.
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鈥淒issenters fear that genetic modification allows multinationals to control agriculture鈥�
