Speaker Details

Prof Effat Badr

Biography

•Ph. D. Columbia University, USA 1963 •Prof. of Genetics, Alexandria University 1977 – present. •Chairman, Dept of Genetics, Alexandria University 1991 – 1994 •Vice President, Egyptian Society of Genetics 1979 – 1984, 2001-2007 •Chairman of the Permanent Scientific Committee of Genetics, Supreme Council of Universities, 1995 – 1998 and member of the Board, 1978 – 2008 •Fulbright Award, Genetic Engineering Research, Harvard University, 1984 •National Award in Agricultural Sciences Egypt 1974 •Medallion of Sciences and Arts, 1st Class, Egypt 1976 •Listed in the Encyclopedia of Egyptian National Figures 1989 •Member of the Task Force Committee on Biotechnology, center for International Development at Harvard University 1999 – 2001 •Member of the High Education Sector Committee of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Supreme Council of Universities 1998 – present •PI of Several Joint Scientific Projects with American and French Universities •Chairman of Molecular Biology Unit, University of Alexandria Research Center 1978 – 1984 •On the editorial board of the Egypt. J. of Genetics and the Arab J. of Biotechnology •Member / member of board of several NGOs concerned with society and the environment •Award of scientific distinction, Alexandria University 2006. •Chairman of the scientific committee of agricultural chemistry, microbiology and genetics. Supreme court of universities, Egypt.2008 – present. .Award of appreciation ,Alexandria University 2008.

Abstract

Agricultural Biotechnology and Environmental Safety
For the next few decades, the biggest problem of our planet is to produce enough food plants. About 790 million people in the developing world are currently undernourished. The world's agricultural land is seriously degraded while the world population is increasing. Three billion more people will be added to the world population before it levels in the middle of the twenty – first century. There is urgent need to get better yields, not only under good and bad conditions, but also in conditions that are completely hostile. More land must be brought into agriculture. Biotechnology offers tools to eventually solve the world's food problems as well as a number of environmental problems. Fertilizers increase crop yields. However, besides costing money, they may also become pollutants. A certain algae gene , inserted into crop plants can boost yield by almost one third because the new strain converts nitrogen fertilizers more efficiently .Wheat plants with the new trait were more robust and produced more grains than conventional wheat with the same amount of nitrogen fertilizers . Thus the same amount of crops can grow with one third or less fertilizers. Genetically modified plants for insect resistance and/or herbicide tolerance enable a drastic reduction in the use of pesticides. Biotechnology also offers a number of ways to make crops resistant to cold or heat climates. Plants that grow faster or start producing sooner or grow with less sunlight can be produced. When increased resistance to cold and heat and less need for sunlight are combined, it means that farmers limited to a few types of crops by weather and soil may be able to switch over to others that are more profitable. Foods that taste better, stay fresh longer are being produced using biotechnological methods. Saline-tolerant crops that can grow in brackish water or withstand water with high saline content are progressively being developed. Concerns about potential environmental risks of transgenic plants have been raised, and certain precaution seems to be justified. However, there are several aspects of potentially positive effects that genetically modified plants could have on reducing the impact of agriculture on the environment. If properly developed, agricultural biotechnology represents an opportunity for food security in developing countries. Biotechnology will help feed the hungry, produce better food, revolutionize medicine and will make the environment cleaner. Biotechnology is actually more promising than we can imagine. For those of the under developed nations, biotechnology is literally a matter of life and death. It is reassuring to know that the genes we modify ,turn off/on or swap between organisms, biotechnology always uses the building blocks of life that God has bestowed upon us.