GE crops anti-hunger 'tool'

By ANNE BESTON environment reporter

The fears of affluent New Zealanders about new gene technology could stop it benefiting people in the Third World, says a visiting scientist.

Dr Channapatna Prakash will speak at the Biotech 2000 conference being held at Auckland's Sheraton Hotel.

He is a biotechnologist at Tuskegee University in Alabama and works to promote genetic engineering of food crops as a tool to help solve hunger in the Third World.

Protesters, including Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos, held banners outside the venue when the conference started yesterday.

Protesters will picket again today.

The conference comes as lobbying over genetic engineering intensifies with the royal commission on GE due to begin its first hearings next month.

In his publicity material, Dr Prakash says companies should make genetic engineering technology available free of royalties to public institutions in the Third World as this would "pave the way for subsequent introduction of [companies'] commercial crops in these countries."

Speaking from Wellington yesterday, he said New Zealand could benefit from genetic breakthroughs in agriculture but people were frightened because they did not understand the science.

"There is no moral high ground here and there is nothing to be scared of," he said.

"It could help your farmers and help your economy by preserving the pre-eminence you already have in agriculture."

Mr Tanczos said the conference was a concerted campaign by the pro-GE lobby to pre-empt the findings of the royal commission.

Dr Prakash will address the Biotech conference today.

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