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Biotech and gender issues in the developing world

Nature Biotechnology volume 27, pages 1085–1086 (2009)Cite this article

To the Editor:

Unfortunately, very little was said about the vast majority of women, who, no matter how well educated, would return to their rural settings, relegated to mainly 'femanual' work: soil preparation, planting, weeding and more weeding. Not a single invited speaker (except the laureate) mentioned weeds, let alone how modern technology can help. Engineers have provided designs for more ergonomic hoes. Genetic engineers can do better. Already transgenic glyphosate-resistant maize has become a hit among women farming in South Africa, who can now spray down more weeds in a day than they could hoe in a backbreaking month.

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  1. Department of Plant Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel

    Jonathan Gressel

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  1. Jonathan Gressel
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Correspondence to Jonathan Gressel.

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Gressel, J. Biotech and gender issues in the developing world. Nat Biotechnol 27, 1085–1086 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1209-1085c

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