Speaking at a food security conference in Milan, Nestlé chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe today criticized “well-fed activists” whose protests and lobbying activities have, in his opinion, held back the adoption of food technologies that could help the starving poor:

It is disheartening to see how easily a group of well-intentioned and well-fed activists can decide about new technologies at the expense of those who are starving.

Nestlé has been subject to intense criticism in recent years, primarily over its strategies to sell infant formula in developing countries, but I think Mr. Brabeck-Letmathe is spot-on here.

Penn & Teller made a similar, if more forcefully put, point in the last few seconds of this excellent video (warning: language may be offensive to some).