Indonesia wary over crops altered genetically

Indonesia wary over crops altered genetically

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is still wary about the entry of
genetically altered crops despite their high potential in solving
the problem of nourishment, the Indonesian ambassador to Japan
said on Thursday.

"Indonesia is still cautious about absorbing the flow of
biotechnology products, such as genetically-modified organisms
and transgenic plants," Soemardi Brotodiningrat said at the Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) regional conference for Asia
and the Pacific in Yokohama, Japan.

Transgenic technology used to genetically alter organisms, is
a way to create higher quality crops and stocks by inserting
genes from other species in order to add certain qualities, for
example the injection of a certain virus into soybeans can make
it resistant to herbicide.

Doubts have been raised by environmentalists on the safety of
genetically modified foods for human health, despite assurances
from scientists that the products are safe.

Soemadi said that an intensive information program must be
made to promote a better understanding of biotechnology,
including biosafety in Indonesia, according to a press statement
issued by FAO's regional office for Asia and the Pacific.

The Indonesian ambassador substituted Minister of Agriculture
and Forestry Bungaran Saragih who had to cancel his Tokyo trip
due to a conflict in schedules.

FAO Director General Jacques Diouf said that to be able to
achieve FAO's target to halve the number of those undernourished,
countries, especially in the Asia Pacific, need to upgrade their
scientific institutions for research in biotechnology.

He said that Asia and the Pacific will still account for 43
percent of the world's undernourished in 2010, unless poverty in
the rural areas can be overcome. (10)