Letter: The GM `monster'

Sir: I am astounded that a group of some of the best brains in Britain can come to the absurd conclusion that we have a "moral imperative ... for making GM crops ... readily and economically available to developing countries that want them" ("Crops `being modified to benefit the rich' ", 28 May 28).

Have these brains looked at the track record of food availability in preventing starvation and poverty?

They are clearly aware how many people go hungry side by side with crops which are destined for export to countries which have more food than they know what to do with. I feel very keenly my moral obligation to help the starving in any country, but I also have a moral commitment to demand that it is done in a way which does not replace the problem with a dozen worse ones.

The millions currently being ploughed into genetic engineering research would go a long way to developing available and sustainable agriculture in developing countries.

JOANNA CLARKE

Glasgow