Climate-Proof Genes?

Monsanto has a knack for making money on a product before its even fully tested yet. Recently, they have been stockpiling hundreds of patents on 'climate resistant' plant varieties; they've bought over a hundred patents in India and say this is only just the beginning.

These seeds are not tested in the field yet. And while Mansanto - as usual - claims it has no desire to drive poor farmers out of business, and points to some of its 'socially responsible' programs to give drought-resistant maize seeds away for free, the company isn't exactly reducing its carbon footprint. Certainly, with the market flooded with these 'climate proof' genes, many farmers will try them. Maybe they will work. Sometimes GM crops can do great things....... and many times they don't.

Of course, the problem isn't just that Monsanto is flooding the market. It's also an inaccurate understanding of how to adapt to climate change. Facing the unknown is the same in farming as it is in building stock portfolios: diversification will almost certainly bring greater resilience to the inevitable 'black swans' that Dane's been talking about recently than relying solely on new (and untested) technology.