By Yazdi Yahya
Brunei Darussalam may consider genetic engineering if it seeks to
produce better quality rice and increase production, but it first needs to
develop the necessary infrastructure and expertise. Professor Acram Taji
from the Faculty of Science at the Queensland University of Technology in
Brisbane yesterday gave a presentation on `Biotechnology and Agriculture' in
which she highlights how biotechnology can help agricultural production and
.How Brunei can utilise it.
In an interview with The Brunei Times, the scholar stressed that first
of all Brunei needs to determine whether or not it wants to become
self-sufficient in rice-production.



"It is important to first understand and identify what the country's
goal is. If the goal is to produce more crops such as rice, then we must
select genes that enable crops to become more productive," she said.



If Brunei were to move in that direction several developments would
need to take place.



One of it is infrastructural work "to accommodate and conduct
experimentation", said Professor Acram.



"Firstly, laboratories would need to be developed to isolate the
genes, but more importantly expertise both technical and scientific would
also need to be developed," she said.



"The next step would be to conduct field experimentation, which takes
time. It is important that constant experimentation takes place in order to
ensure that these foods are safe for consumption."



She gave an example of `Golden Rice', which is a product of
biotechnology.



`Golden Rice' contains high levels of iron and vitamin A, which
enhances the lives of many people in developing countries who consume rice
as a staple diet. According to Professor Acram, two-thirds of rice consumed
has lower levels of iron and Vitamin A compared to `Golden Rice'.



In her presentation, which took place during the launching of the
Study in Australia Exhibition at the Sheraton Utama Hotel, Professor Acram
touched on the importance of biotechnology, especially in recent years, to
the development of agricultural production.



Through the help of genetic engineering, scientists are now able to
modify certain characteristics of a produce, in order for it to still grow
under different circumstances, such as in areas where water is scarce or in
areas where the quality of soil is low.



She explained that with modern biotechnology, scientists aim to make a
living cell perform a task better in a predictable and more controllable
manner.



"This can be achieved through gene manipulation. Genetic engineering
is adding or subtracting genes in an organism or changing the way genes
work, by non-sexual processes, which are central to the whole process of
biotechnology," she added.



Statistically, the amount of land used to develop genetically modified
crops has increased worldwide rapidly from 1.7 million hectares in 1996 to
more than 150 million hectares in 2006.



This underlines the growing importance of genetically modified food,
and how these foods can help provide food to developing countries whose
people suffer from famine.



Research also shows that biotechnology creates new growing techniques,
leading to increases in production and which help reduce world starvation.



"This is what we hope, which is to be able to grow crops anywhere
regardless of soil fertility or scarcity of water," said



Professor Acram. On the quality of genetically modified produce,
Professor Acram recalled her, visit to several African countries. She
explained that the quality of the genetically modified food grown there had
not been compromised and felt that there was no reason to think so.



"In fact, some of these products have more nutrients," she said.
Another advantage is that biotechnology has also led to the reduced usage of
pesticides in agriculture.



Through genetic modification, crops that are grown have been modified
to resist any invasions by pests, hence reducing the use of pesticides.




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