Watch the provocative statements of Prof Paul Collier, who is of the opinion that agricultural scientists are more attached to emotions than to the evidences. He adviced that young professionals should look for evidences but not to attach to the prejudices that contemporary science parctices promulgate. Do you agree or disagree? watch and read summary of his presentation and comment. Famous Prof. Paul Collier was given the floor for the third key speech at Tropentag 2010 „How to feed the bottom billion?“ Being professor of economics and director of the Centre for the Study of African Economics at Oxford University, his speech touched the audience emotionally. Paul Collier challenged and was challenged himself by the critical questions and comments of the audience which triggered many spontanous applause. Paul Collier, Centre for the Study of Africal Economies, Oxford University Provocative, he took the audience out of its comfort zone: „You are thinking with your guts, not with your heads. Think neutrally between peasant and commercial!“ Well known to all, food production is too low and too volatile. The poorest people spending the largest proportion of their income for food consumption are most vulnerable to volatile food prizes. Additionally, climate change increases this vulnerability for the upcoming fifty years making them more shock prone. Paul Collier urged Africa to adapt to these changes rather than to mitigate and following suggested three options: firstly, the adoption of GMOs. Secondly, lift the ban on GMO research in Europe („compete on research rather than close it down“). Since European science is very strong in public funding he also called for more public funding of GMO research since America is mostly financed through private companies. And last but not least, commercialization of the agriculture in order to intensify inputs, increase in logistics and access of finances and insurance market. The rapidly growing demand outrunning the actual food supply led to high food prizes and finally to a global food crisis: biofuel production and thus the burning of grain in the U.S. and the GMO ban in Europe in 1996 are responsible for that event. According to Paul Collier, urban poor living in third world coastal cities that are fed off the world market are hurt most when food prizes rise. The resulting response to the food crisis were the banning of grain export. ”This was an attempt to stop Africa from exporting food. Africans can become more food secure by exporting and using the income that they have generated to purchase local food.” he said. The mega land grabbing in Africa contributed to the rest. „It is our responsibility to scientifically inform the public since this is the only defense against the lack of food supply“ – with this point Paul Collier closed a very lively and evocative keynote speech. Prof. Dr. Manfred Zeller, University of Hohenheim, gets into the discussion