Advancements in Genetic Engineering
Open Access

GM crops: Indispensible for achievement of millennium development goals and sustainability of agriculture in the era of climate change

International Conference on Genetic Engineering & Genetically Modified Organisms

August 12-13, 2013 DoubleTree by Hilton, Raleigh, NC, USA

Amjad M. Husaini

Accepted Abstracts: Adv Genet Eng

Abstract :

Agriculture is central to the successful achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and climate change poses a major challenge to agriculture-based economies. The projections of global climate changes on earth expect a rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases, an increase in temperature and aridisation of the environment, inducing thus an increase in abiotic stresses. The effect of each of these components on agricultural production is difficult to quantify and interpret while the global effect is unpredictable. To accomplish MDGs and ensure the sustainability of agricultural production under changing climatic conditions, to meet the food requirement of the ever-increasing world population (expected to reach 9 billion by 2030) herein are presented three possible solutions: (1) develop and use GM crops for mitigating adverse climatic changes; (2) develop GM crops resilient to adverse environmental conditions; and (3) address the issues/ non-issues raised by NGOs and educate the masses about the benefits of GM crops.

Biography :

Amjad M. Husaini is an Assistant Professor (Senior Scale) Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir (India) and holds a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and PG Diploma in Bioinformatics, besides certificates in Intellectual Property Rights, and Remote Sensing Applications in Agriculture. He is a recipient of Young Scientist Award-2009 in Agriculture, received Jawahar Lal Nehru Award for Agricultural Research-2008, Junior Scientist of the Year Award-2007 (National Environmental Sciences Academy, New Delhi), and his biography has been included in 27th edition of Marquis Whos Who in the World. He has edited/authored five books Strawberry: Transgenics for stresses ISBN: 978-3-8433-6280-1 [Pages-247], Saffron (ISBN: 978-4-903313-67-2) [Pages-135], Medicinal Plants of the Himalayas: Advances and Insights (ISBN: 978-4-903313- 65-8), Genomics, Transgenics, Molecular Breeding and Biotechnology of Strawberry (ISBN: 978-4-903313-81-8), Molecular Biotechnology: Basic Laboratory Protocols (ISBN: 978-3-659-21385-4) [Pages-177], an d published many research and review papers in journals of inte rnational repute.