Prince of Wales under fire for his anti-GMOs stance

The Prince of Wales is in hot soup for claiming genetically modified crops have set the word on course for “the biggest disaster, environmentally, of all time.”

In an interview with the Telegraph, last week, Prince Charles sensationally accused “gigantic corporations” of meddling with nature and urged them to spare the world the cataclysmic repercussions that might arise from genetic modification of crops.

Prince Charles’ rantings against GM crops, however, have come under harsh criticism from government officials, politicians, the media and scientists for their ludicrous tinge.

British Environment Minister Phil Woolas has challenged Prince Charles to provide evidence to the effect that genetically modified crops are a disaster. Woolas, in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, affirmed that the government had a “moral responsibility” to investigate whether GM crops could help alleviate hunger in the developing world.” And the minister warned the Prince of Wales not to politicize the issue of GM crops.

Alison Smith, Professor of Plant Biochemistry at the John Innes Centre in Norwich, accused Prince Charles of “inflating fears instead of contributing to reasoned debate.”

“He (Prince) seems to be ranting about GM crops, urbanisation, globalisation and even hybrid plants. He is inflating fears instead of contributing to reasoned debate.”

The Times, in an editorial, said Prince Charles’ views on genetically modified crops were “ill-informed, alarmist and anti-science.” “…his apocalyptic predictions of the effect of genetically modified crops do not enhance public debate, but degrade it,” noted the hard-hitting editorial.

British Labor MP, Des Turner, fumed that it’s “…entirely Luddite attitude to simply reject this (GM crops) out of hand.”

Liberal Democratic Phil Willis, who’s also the chairman of the all-party Commons science committee, echoed the same sentiment and warned: “Prince Charles lack of scientific understanding and his willingness to condemn millions of people to starvation in areas like sub-Saharan Africa is absolutely bewildering.”

Prince Charles did have supporters. Friends of the Earth and the Soil Association did issue an oblique statement supporting the Prince of Wales’ views that “GM crops would not help solve the food crisis.”

This is a self-denial statement. I’ve always argued, on this blog and elsewhere, that criticism of crop genetic engineering is warranted as long it’s constructive and scientifically grounded. When somebody, for instance, claims that GM crops would not help solve the food crisis, one is left to wonder what happened to the truth. Just the same way I condemn this, I’ll also take issue with anybody who might claim that organic farming cannot help in solving the food crisis. They’ve a role to play, just like GM crops have an important contribution to make in enhancing global food security.

The International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) has just released a report that shows GM crops cultivation recorded a 12 per cent growth from 2006-2007. The number of countries growing GM crops also increased to 23. These are hard facts that cannot easily wished away.

Realistically speaking, therefore, one can safely say that these crops are making significant contribution to global food security. This is an undeniable fact that those who support and oppose GM crops must acknowledge.

For the Prince of Wales and anti-technology organizations to deny that agricultural biotechnology is making significant contribution to global food security is wrong. Acknowledging facts as they’re, perhaps, is the best way to handle the debate about cons and pros of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).