RUTGERS MODEL UNITED NATIONS 2006
Delegation: Angola
Committee: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
Topic: Biotechnology
Delegates: Victoria Guen and Allison Ryan
EAST BRUNSWICK HIGH SCHOOL
In the world today 1.5 billion people live on less than a dollar a day, eight hundred million
people are malnourished and 200 million children are under weight. Most of these people are found
in third world nations, and are undernourished. Biotechnology will benefit these less fortunate places
in many helpful and needed ways. Biotechnology is any technological application that uses biology
to make or modify products or process for a specific purpose, usually to create a product that is more
effective. Biotechnology will also be able to increase the amount of available farming space, by
using seeds more able to live in the harsh soils and climates. Also, stopping the spread of diseases
that otherwise could be life threatening, biotechnology will improve the current agricultural
situation, the economy, and come up with new medical innovations.
Used to develop medicines and better crops, biotechnology is a relatively new method of
aiding of living organisms through scientific processes, and therefore there has not been much
discussion concerning the topic. Each Country in the United Nations has at least voiced their own
opinion- the industrial countries feel Biotechnology is sure-fire and a very reliable science, while the
poorer countries aren’t sure how to react, and can’t afford the massive funding Biotechnology
requires. An exemplary application of biotechnology was in the creation of the Flavr-Savr Tomato,
the first crop ever engineered by biotechnology to go on sale to the general public. Through
extensive research, this tomato uses recombinant DNA to create a tomato that ripens on
the vine – resulting in fuller flavor. Usually a tomato is picked green,
and then is sprayed with ethylene after shipping to induce ripening.
The new tomato is modified so that it remains firm after harvesting. Just
one of the successes of biotechnology, this tomato foreshadows hope for an improvement on other
crops using biotechnology. In addition to creating more stable foods, biotechnology can be used to
develop more nutritious crops. Micronutrient deficiencies due to unhealthy diets are a major source
of increased susceptibility to disease and mortality worldwide. Affecting mainly children, these
deficiencies impair their immune systems and normal development, causing disease and ultimately
death. “The best way to avoid micronutrient deficiencies is by way of a varied diet, rich in
vegetables, fruits and animal products” (Welch 1). The second best approach, especially for those
who cannot afford this necessary varied diet, is by way of nutrient-dense staple crops. According to
the World Health Organization, dietary vitamin A deficiency causes some 250,000 to 500,000
children to go blind each year. Blindness and corneal afflictions are but indicators of more severe
underlying health problems: more than half the children who lose their sight die within a year of
becoming blind. The answer to these problems is Golden Rice, a type of rice in which two genes
have been inserted into the rice genome by genetic engineering of beta-carotene in the grains.
Golden Rice grains are easily recognizable by their yellow color, which exhibits the fact that this
Type of rice contains beta-carotene. For the poverty stricken countries, the staggering statistics of the
hungry are overwhelming. A 75 percent growth in agricultural production will be needed in the span
on just one generation to feed the growing population. Biotechnology is the answer to this call for
food.
Angola‘s three principle natural regions are the costal lowland, hills and mountains, and the
vast areas of plateaus. Many of the lands used for agriculture are lacking, as farmers have destroyed
soil and poor yields. The land, which was only average to begin with was broken down by
unrelenting planting of the same crops. This technique strips land of it’s nutrients and causes the
rich topsoil to crumble and lose value, making crops wither and die more each year. Plants can’t
take root, since the rich topsoil vanished long ago. An issue concerning biotechnology is that that
the genetically recombined seeds are more expensive than plain ones. The richer farmers are more
likely to invest their time in these seed, but the poorer farmers already have to struggle on
deteriorated land. Fortunately, the yield in crops is equivalent to four times the original cost of the
seed, making reengineered seeds, but it’s hard for those in poverty to get the money to buy the seeds
in the first place.
Biotechnology will solve many problems found in Angola. Firstly, through biotechnology,
the Japanese found seeds that are more responsive to arable soil. Arable soil is when the soil is iron
enriched, which causes plants to wither and die. Using this seed will increase the amount of crop
yielded, and will thus allow Angolan farmers to produce more crops. Another possible idea is for
farmers to test their land with the actual crops produced by biotechnology. This would be an
amazing solution to several problems, because the struggling farmers would learn how to cultivate
the new products, the scientists would have real soil to experiment on, and the starving laborers
would get paid for their work. Farmers would submit their land, by mail, to a Non-Governmental
Organization. They would soon receive the newly engineered seeds, and would cultivate their crops.
By placing the seeds in the actual degraded soil, scientists could determine what else was needed to
be done to yield the maximum amount of crops. The job of the United Nations would be to
encourage this, and promote the effects of biotechnology. It would also be beneficial for
Agricultural colleges to be set up. Although a basic topic, the rotation of crops hasn’t been properly
communicated, and the state of the soil is deteriorated. By holding free classes, farmers can learn
that they are making mistakes, and how to improve upon their techniques. The Agricultural colleges
will try to unify the different farms to create a more efficient system for farming. NGOs should
support this idea, because as soon as the ideas take hold, the people will be well fed, without having
to deliver food themselves. As Woldeyesus Sinebo points out, “African countries should build
domestic capacity through formation of linkages with advanced research institutes and international
organizations to make use of biotechnology” (Sinebo 1).Although many constraints exist, such as the
domestic capacity across organizational barriers, this should be overcome fairly easily with
persistent effort. Once steady support is given to farmers, and they being to effectively cultivate
crops, Angolan companies will no longer have to pay their workers in food, which is a desperate act.
With the increase of economy that the agricultural business with give them, Angola will be able to
start making changes that will no longer make them a third world nation. With the help of richer and
more scientifically advanced countries such as Japan and the United States, Angola will be able to
use biotechnology to the fullest of its abilities. Also, with a centralized banking system Angolans in
need could take low interest loans, and use the money to start their career. Another way would be
having villages near each make a joint account to pay for the seeds, so not every village or farmer
needs to pay for the seeds by themselves. It will probably be cheaper because most companies give
discounts when the consumer buys in bulk. Moreover, the seeds will eventually pay for themselves.
Angola should monitor the amount of people getting the seeds at a time or the increase in crops,
which will become an example of the positive effects on farms since bioengineered crops were
planted there. This awareness will bring about a wave if appreciating towards biotechnology, and
will make those who have reservations change their minds. A new area of employment could arise
out of this, by creating jobs for people to keep track of the land. People are needed to check up on
how well the crops are doing in the arable soil, and this will be an opportunity for many. This
system allows the Angolan government a better idea of who needs the seeds the most, how well they
are working, and where they can be put to the best use. Angola’s policy should be revised to include
more information on biotechnology. It has been a generally ignored topic, but Angola needs to
embrace this new technology despite various religious or personal objections. In the immediate
future, the first ting Angola should do is start taking loans and collecting money to fund this massive
agricultural revolution. Once they have that, they can campaign for support for either NGOs or other
countries willing to fund the development of Angola. With support and loans, biotechnology could
greatly help Angola’s weak industry, and further improve the Angolan way of life. Since
Biotechnology is also used to engineer cures for major diseases, the biotechnological vaccines will
cut back on the amount of deaths in Angola giving both children and adults a better chance of life.
The Angolans will benefit through all different forms of biotechnology whether it be medical or
agricultural.
The advantages to reverting to biogenetically produced crops are monumental. The United
Nations should publicly support biotechnology, and encourage NGOs to lend loans to poorer
farmers so that they can use the newly engineered seeds. For example, creating a more centralized
system for distributing seeds and creating a banking system for Angola as a whole would boost
trade and lend a helping hand to the lack of food in the world. Therefore, the United Nations
should persuade NGOs to support biotechnology and employ it to better serve its people.
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