April 20, 2024, 1:59 PM
April 20, 2024, 1:59 PM
A few days before celebrating World Earth Day (April 22), the director of the Earth FoundationAlcides Vadillo, He reflected on some issues that continue to affect the environment, especially in Santa Cruz, in the program ¡Qué Semana!, which is broadcast every Saturday on EL DEBER Radio.
Vadillo pointed out that, in relation to the request of businessmen in the agricultural sector, regarding introduce the use of biotechnology To alleviate the effects of drought on crops, the areas and what type to apply must be discussed.
“There is a request (from producers) for drought-resistant transgenic seeds for soybeans. There are transgenic seeds resistant to a number of things for corn. It can’t be that these are open packages. Corn is one of the products that has a very important value for us because We are original producers of this seed, along with other (countries) of Central America. It is something that must be taken care of,” said Vadillo.
He stated that the intentional expansion of the agricultural frontier for livestock or soy production, They are also elements that should lead to reflection, because there are already countries, especially in Europe, where products from areas of recent deforestation cannot be marketed.
At the same time he regretted that in regions like East Santa Cruz, where there is no corn that is not transgenic. “Go to the supply area, you will not find corn that is no longer produced by genetically modified organisms. It is illegal? Yes, everyone knows. And Emapa (Food Production Support Company) even buys transgenic corn from Argentina and it has been reported that sometimes it is contraband,” he stated.
According to these market realities, Vadillo added, legalizing the use of transgenic seeds has to be enabled by certain types of areas and crops. “Because the problem with this biotechnology is that it comes with a complete technological package; It comes with its poisons, of chemicals, of herbicides and where you produce soybeans, citrus or vegetables are not produced because they do not resist glyphosate contamination,” he added.
