The following is an edited excerpt.

‘The environmentalists’ opposition to GM is akin to green cultural imperialism.

Green attitudes to GM technology represent at best a quaint conservatism and at worst green cultural imperialism. Opposition to change is, of course, inherently conservative. But those who seek to limit the developing world to ancient production methods and crop varieties, even if they are not particularly profitable or productive, exhibit an inexcusable cultural condescension.

Stewart Brand, described by some as an “ex-environmental ideologue”, neatly summarises this in his book Whole Earth Discipline: “The environmental movement has done more harm with its opposition to genetic engineering than any other thing we’ve been wrong about. We’ve starved people, hindered science, hurt the natural environment, and denied our own practitioners a crucial tool.”

The green movement must now decide whether it wants to use the best of science and technology to deliver real human and environmental outcomes.

Read the full story here: Anti-GM attitudes are harming the hungry.