Greater food supply. The International Food Policy Research Institute estimates that farmers must produce 40% more grain by 2020 to meet the world's rising food demand.
More nutritious crops. Only biotechnology has proved successful in creating staple crops with higher vitamin A contents. Vitamin A deficiency is the world's leading cause of blindness. Also, crops with higher iron content can be of benefit to nearly 400 million women of child-bearing age suffering this mineral deficiency.