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GM crops fail to deliver

Friends of the Earth comments on industry-released figures

KUALA LUMPUR (MALAYSIA), LAGOS (NIGERIA), BRUSSELS (BELGIUM), January 18, 2007 - Commenting on today's publication by the biotech industry of their estimates of the area planted with genetically modified (GM) crops, Nnimmo Bassey of Friends of the Earth Africa in Nigeria said:

"No genetically modified crop on the market today has done anything to alleviate hunger or poverty in Africa or elsewhere. The biotech industry fails to provide a shred of evidence to support their figures and conveniently fails to mention the problems associated with growing genetically modified crops. Evidence shows that they need more pesticides, provide lower yields and cause widespread contamination. GM crops are clearly failing to deliver at a time when sustainable solutions are urgently needed to feed the world."

Last week, Friends of the Earth International published a new report that shows genetically modified (GM) crops have failed to address the main challenges facing farmers in most countries of the world, and more than 70 percent of large scale GM planting is still limited to two countries (U.S. and Argentina).

The 98-page fully-referenced report - Who Benefits from GM Crops? - and the Executive Summary can be downloaded at http://www.foei.org

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

In Africa: Nnimmo Bassey, Friends of the Earth Africa: Tel: +234 8037274395 (mobile) or +234 52602680 (office)

In Asia: Nizam Mahshar, Friends of the Earth Malaysia: Tel: +60194777755

In Europe: Adrian Bebb, Friends of the Earth Europe: Mobile: +49 16094901163; Tel: +49 802 599 1951

In South America: Karen Nansen, Friends of the Earth Uruguay: Tel: +598 99 524 003


Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and fair societies and for the protection of the environment,
unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups
and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.