The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has called for more effort to develop biotech solutions to support smallholders, who the Organisation claims hold the key to sustainable and equitable food production.

A new FAO publication, Biotechnologies at Work for Smallholders: Case Studies from Developing Countries in Crops, Livestock and Fish, claims that biotechnologies can benefit producers in developing countries and calls for international efforts to provide smallholders with the tools they need.

The report looks at 19 case studies in crops, livestock and fisheries, and examines the practical realities and experiences of applying biotechnology research to smallholder production of bananas, cassava, rice, livestock, shrimp and more, in different parts of the developing world. The technologies explored include older or "traditional" ones like artificial insemination and fermentation, alongside cutting-edge techniques involving 'DNA-based methodologies' - but not genetic modification.

"With the right institutional and financial arrangements, governments, research institutions and organizations can help to bring biotechnologies to smallholders, improving their capacity to cope with challenges like climate change, plant and animal diseases, and the overuse of natural resources," said Andrea Sonnino, Chief of FAO's Research and Extension Unit.

Case studies

Four case studies were from India, two from China and one each from Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Colombia, Cuba, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Thailand.

Researchers used their knowledge of DNA markers to develop a flood-tolerant rice variety in India with a potential yield of 1-3 tons per hectare more than previously used varieties, under flood conditions. After being released in 2009, the new variety, Swarna-Sub1, spread rapidly and was used by three million farmers in 2012.

"In summary, submergence-tolerant varieties provided opportunities for improving and stabilizing yields in flash flood-affected areas, significantly contributing to national food security," stated Uma Singh and colleagues from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) who prepared the case study.

In northern Cameroon, the use of DNA-based diagnostic tools in the field allowed veterinary authorities to quickly diagnose outbreaks of Peste des Petits Ruminants, a highly contagious viral disease affecting goats and sheep. Rapid and accurate disease diagnosis meant that the authorities could stamp out these outbreaks and stop the spread of the fatal disease to other flocks.

"Without this rapid response, thousands of sheep and goats would likely have succumbed to the disease during these outbreaks, leading to millions of CFA francs in losses," affirmed Abel Wade and Abdoulkadiri Souley from the National Veterinary Laboratory (LANAVET) in Cameroon.

FAO said it hopes the publication will inform key national and international policymakers and lead them to make decisions that benefit smaller-scale producers (FAO and other UN agencies will push for greater support for smaller producers in 2014, which the UN has named the year of family farming)

Recommendations made by FAO include securing political commitments to improving the productivity and livelihoods of smallholders, improving investment in infrastructure and knowledge transfer to ease the transition of science and technology breakthroughs from the lab to the field.

The Organisation also called for greater sharing of genetic resources, techniques and know-how across national and continental borders. The publication underlines the importance of involving smallholders at all stages of policy development, taking into consideration their knowledge and skills, as well as providing technological solutions that are acceptable to those on the receiving end of research.

The position of genetic modification remains controversial. Although industry sources claim GM crops could lead to reduced pesticide use, provide fortified foods to tackle malnutrition or resist the effects of climate change, the vast majority of GM crops currently grown exhibit one of two traits (herbicide resistance and pest-repelling Bt toxins), while these beneficial traits have been achieved through non-GM means.

UK environment minister Owen Paterson has called GM-sceptics "wicked" and touted the crops' benefits, though prominent Conservative environmentalist Zac Goldsmith last week attacked his position as "absurd". He said, "GM has been widely commercialised for nearly 20 years; more than enough time to prove itself... In truth, the reason GM never took off as predicted is because all those promises of cheap pest control, and crops that tolerate flood, salt and extreme weather, simply haven't materialised. "

The influential IAASTD report, commissioned by the World Bank and compiled by over 400 scientific experts, largely ignores GM crops and recommends rolling out agroecological approaches to achieve global food security.