Advances in Food Science and Technology

Advances in Food Science and Technology Vol. 1 (5), pp. 057-067, May, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Food Security and Biotechnology in developing countries

Tunde  S. Orodu and Omonode  E. Kingsley

Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural And Applied Sciences, Igbinedion University, Okada, P.M.B. 0006, Edo State, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 19 March, 2013

Abstract 

Food security is a necessity for every individual, home, community and nation. In developing countries, food security could be substantially improved by increased investment and policy reforms. Biotechnology’s ability to eliminate malnutrition and hunger through production of crops resistant to pests and diseases, having longer shelf-lives, refined textures and flavours, higher yields per units of land and time, tolerant to adverse weather and soil conditions, and generate employment, cannot be over-emphasized. This technology can be applied to improve agriculture in order to improve food production for the human population in an environmentally sustainable manner. However, there is need for government and public-private collaborations to invest in agricultural biotechnology-based companies, researches, or initiatives, in order to make the gene revolution beneficial to developing countries.

Key words: Biotechnology, food security, developing countries, agriculture, public investment, policy reform.