Silver bullet or not? The impact of agricultural biotechnology on the right to food in Africa

Abstract

"This study assesses the impact of agricultural biotechnology on the right to food in Africa and the multifarious implications of its introduction in Africa. It further explores how its negative effects can be mitigated whilst maximising its potential benefits to ensure food security, which is the foundation for the realisation of the right to food. The study also examines the differing and sometimes conflicting obligations of state parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) to progressively achieve the full realisation of the right to food by making use of all available resources, the duty to make use of scientific konwledge in order to improve methods of food production and the duty to ensure that individuals enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications. The study analyses these obligations to futher explore the question whether African states have an obligation to immediately embrace agricultural biotechnology in order to ensure freedom from hunger, which is the first step towards the realisation of the right to adequate food. ... This study has five chapters. Chapter one lays out the context in which this study is set, the foucs and objectives of the study, its significance and other preliminary issues including the hypotheses, literature review and methodology. Chapter two is devoted to laying out the econceptual framework on which this study rests. Chapter three assesses the positive and negative impacts of agricultural biotechnology on the right to food. This chapter brings to the fore critical issues relating to agricultural biotechnology such as intellecutal property rights (IPRs), gene use restrictuion technologies (GURTs), erosion of biodiversity, enviornmental and health concerns that would impact on the realisation of the right to food. Chapter four analyses the differing international legal obligation of states relating to the right to food within the context of the debate on the introduction of genetically engineered (GE) seeds and crops in Africa. Chapter five presents the conclusions and recommendations of this study." -- Introduction.