Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
to adoption in Thailand in ways that illuminate the global biotechnology controversy
morebroadly(seeMcHughen;Newell-McGloughlin;HarrissandStewart,thisvolume).
The papaya case study is of particular interest because this innovation rep-
resents a rare example of public-sector biotechnology aimed at supporting
resource-poor farmers growing a relatively small-scale crop and, therefore,
stands in contrast to genetically engineered (GE) applications developed by
multinationalseedcompaniesandprimarilyutilizedbylarge-scalefarmerspro-
ducing for world markets. The experience of GE papaya may also be helpful in
disentangling the threads of opposition to biotechnology: widely held concerns
about the patenting of seeds and the rights of farmers obviously did not apply in
this case. The chapter will conclude with implications for projecting the future
of projects developed in the public sector and focused on smallholder farmers.
Virus resistance is a trait that is not available through other than molecular tech-
niques, unlike the more common applications such as herbicide tolerance; bio-
propertyisnotcontested.Inthissense,thepapayacaseparallelscontestation
around bio-fortification (see Stein, this volume). “Golden Rice,” for example,
addresses a micronutrient deficiency in a major food crop in which no breeding
alternativesforbeta-caroteneenrichmentexist.LikeGoldenRice,papayaisa
public-sector project using techniques with no known alternatives. Despite these
characteristics, genetically engineered papaya faced political resistance similar
to that confronting bulk commodities in which the desired trait could be pro-
duced by other techniques and carrying property claims of major life-science
corporations such as Monsanto.
Papaya as a Food Crop
Papaya is a minor crop by the standards of world trade, but as a fruit predominantly
produced and consumed in the developing world it is nevertheless an important and
highly nutritious food source for many consumers in poorer countries. Papaya is con-
sumed as a fresh fruit, as a raw green “vegetable” in salads, and as a cooked “veg-
etable.”Itisgrowninthedevelopingworldbothonacommercialscaleaswellasby
small-scalefarmersforhomeorlocalconsumption.Itisclosetoanidealcropfor
small-scale subsistence growers because it can be easily grown from seed and requires
few inputs. Moreover, the first mature fruits can generally be harvested a mere nine
monthsaterseedsowing,andthefruitisproducedcontinuouslyyear-round.Asa
tropical herbaceous plant, papaya trees can reach 12 feet tall in a single year of growth
(Gonsalves1998).
Papaya is a valuable source of micronutrients for impoverished people with diets
dominatedbyriceorothernutrient-poorcaloricsources.ItishighinvitaminCand
rich in pro-vitamin A carotenoids, both of which indirectly facilitate iron uptake.
A 100-gramservingofripepapaya(aquarterorlessofasinglefruit)provides133 percent
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