"Now, if GM could develop some pest-resistant crops, that would serve much better"
Funny you should say that....
There are really 2 use cases for GM.
1) Monster agribusiness (whatever Monsanto are calling themselves these days, but also people like Bayer and a fair few other chems companies who happen to be located in Germany) wanting to lock farmers into their seeds, but with their seeds "Special Sauce" (C Andrew Orlwski), usually higher yield (if you use their brand of insecticide/fungicide/herbicide/anythingelse-cide).
2) The kind done in what are basically the "National Laboratories" of various third world and Far East countries to hard wire infection resistance, insect resistance and improved nutrition into the crops themselves (while preserving their fertility).
One is aimed at improving the lot of the farmers in those countries, the other improving the dividend to the companies shareholders.
Same techniques, rather different goals, and rather different outcomes.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
