Genetically engineered livestock will be critical to feeding the world’s projected population of 9 billion people by 2050, according to University of California’s James Murray.
Professor Murray was part of an international symposium on animal biotechnologies in Adelaide, Australia, last week.
“In 2050, my guess is Australia will have 50 to 55 million people; you’ll be able to feed yourselves,” he said.
But Prof Murray said that was not Australia’s problem.
Indonesia, 90 kilometers north of Darwin, also had a rapidly increasing population and little to no food security. “Where are they going to go?”
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Prof Murray said Australia – and western society – had a dilemma.
“If we can’t figure out how to help the developing parts of the world which are not controlling their population to feed themselves, they are going to come and try to get the food … because they have no choice.”
The potential for transgenic animals to improve efficiency and aid in disease and environmental sustainability had already been demonstrated, but regulation was preventing further research.
Read the full original article: Aust ‘must’ commit to GE livestock
