Sure, bugs are important to our natural ecosystems—but insects that feed on crops “pose a constant threat to farmers’ harvests and livelihoods, and impede our pursuit of sustainable, productive agricultural systems for the future,” says Oxitec. They’ve partnered with Bayer to use the power of nature to breed insects that can help ward off a growing threat.
The fall armyworm is devastating corn crops around the world. In 2016, the insect caused $6.3 billion in damage in West Africa alone, reported Wired, and it harms farmers, economies, and our ability to feed the world.
Now, Oxitec has developed a “self-limiting” version that could combat the growing threat. The self-limiting male mates with females in the corn fields, but the females “produce no female offspring in the next generation, meaning fewer caterpillars eating and damaging the crop and fewer egg-laying female moths,” says the company.
Developed in partnership with BIO member Bayer, the insects “are also expected to offer active protection of biotech crops and other tools against resistant fall armyworm caterpillars, meaning that these protection measures remain effective for longer.”
Yes, you’ve heard of Oxitec before. They developed a genetically modified mosquito, which could be an important tool in fighting mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever.
What they’re saying: “This collaboration represents our collective effort to develop safe, sustainable, and highly effective technologies to bolster farmers’ ability to manage these devastating pests,” concludes Oxitec CEO Grey Frandsen.
This is another example of the potential of animal biotechnology to help feed our planet and combat the effects of climate change. Now, policy needs to catch up.
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“[H]is US$2-trillion plan calls for massive investments in clean-energy research and development and low-carbon infrastructure, such as public transit and energy-efficient buildings. It also calls for the United States to generate 100% clean electricity by 2035 and to produce ‘net-zero emissions’ by 2050.”