Difference between revisions of "Genetically Engineered Bananas"

From SourceWatch
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(SW: add info)
 
 
(4 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
'''Genetically Engineered Bananas'''
 
'''Genetically Engineered Bananas'''
  
== Funding ==
+
== Gates Foundation Project ==
 +
One effort to create genetically engineered bananas is funded by the [[Gates Foundation]] and is being led by [[James L. Dale]] at the [[Queensland University of Technology]] in Brisbane, Australia. The goal is to create "transgenic Cavendish bananas expressing either increased pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, or iron" and to introduce them to Uganda, where the average person consumes more than 1 kg of bananas each day.<ref>[http://www.grandchallenges.org/ImproveNutrition/Challenges/NutrientRichPlants/Pages/Bananas.aspx Optimisation of Bioavailable Nutrients in Transgenic Bananas], Accessed March 11, 2012.</ref>
 +
 
 +
=== Funding ===
 +
The [[Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation]] first funded a project with a grant of $3,946,708 to the [[Queensland University of Technology]] in July 2005 "to develop bananas with increased micronutrient content."<ref>[http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Grants-2005/Pages/Queensland-University-of-Technology-OPP37878.aspx Grant OPP37878 - Queensland University of Technology], Accessed March 11, 2012.</ref> They followed this up with a grant of $4,489,552, also to the [[Queensland University of Technology]], in August 2009 "to improve the nutritional status in Uganda and surrounding countries through the generation of farmer and consumer acceptable edible bananas with significantly increased fruit levels of pro-vitamin A and iron."<ref>[http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Grants-2009/Pages/Queensland-University-of-Technology-OPP37878_01.aspx Grant OPP37878_01 Grant OPP37878_01 - Queensland University of Technology], Accessed March 11, 2012.</ref> The total amount in grants equals $8.4 million.
 +
 
 +
=== Collaborators ===
 +
Collaborators include:<ref>[http://www.grandchallenges.org/ImproveNutrition/Challenges/NutrientRichPlants/Pages/Bananas.aspx Optimisation of Bioavailable Nutrients in Transgenic Bananas], Accessed March 11, 2012.</ref>
 +
* [[ProCell, Inc.]], Maryland, United States
 +
* [[National Agricultural Research Organisation (Uganda)|National Agricultural Research Organisation]], Uganda
 +
* [[Africa Harvest]], Nairobi, Kenya
 +
* [[Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute]], KARI, Kampala, Uganda
 +
* [[Mikocheni Agricultural Research Institute]], MARI, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
 +
* Beyer's Lab, Freiberg, Germany
 +
* Sayre's Lab, Ohio State University, Ohio, United States
  
 
==Articles and resources==
 
==Articles and resources==
Line 9: Line 23:
 
* [[Biotechnology]]
 
* [[Biotechnology]]
 
* [[Genetically Modified Organisms]]
 
* [[Genetically Modified Organisms]]
* [[Monsanto]]
 
 
* [[Second Green Revolution]]
 
* [[Second Green Revolution]]
  

Latest revision as of 06:04, 12 March 2012

Genetically Engineered Bananas

Gates Foundation Project

One effort to create genetically engineered bananas is funded by the Gates Foundation and is being led by James L. Dale at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. The goal is to create "transgenic Cavendish bananas expressing either increased pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, or iron" and to introduce them to Uganda, where the average person consumes more than 1 kg of bananas each day.[1]

Funding

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation first funded a project with a grant of $3,946,708 to the Queensland University of Technology in July 2005 "to develop bananas with increased micronutrient content."[2] They followed this up with a grant of $4,489,552, also to the Queensland University of Technology, in August 2009 "to improve the nutritional status in Uganda and surrounding countries through the generation of farmer and consumer acceptable edible bananas with significantly increased fruit levels of pro-vitamin A and iron."[3] The total amount in grants equals $8.4 million.

Collaborators

Collaborators include:[4]

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

External resources

External articles