The State of Food and Agriculture 2003-04 : Agricultural Biotechnology, Meeting the Needs of the Poor? (FAO Agriculture)

The State of Food and Agriculture 2003-04 explores the potential of agriculture biotechnology - especially transgenic crops - to meet the needs of the poor.

It is found that agricultural biotechnology can help the poor by reducing reliance on toxic agricultural chemicals, lowering production costs for farmers, enhancing the nutritional contents of food and improving the control of plant and animal diseases.

These gains can boost agricultural productivity and reduce food prices, but the benefits may not reach the poor.