Debates On Genetically Modified Food And Crops
Majority of current food organisms, plants and animals, were received by selective breeding from wild species. Selection was aimed at receiving certain characteristics (such as size, taste, smell, color, etc.), higher yields and resistance to adverse environmental influences (weather conditions, parasites, diseases, etc). Advances in science and technology allowed to improve these characteristics, as well as introduce some new (e.g. repellency) by modifying organisms’ DNAs, without lengthy and less controllable selection.
However, introduction of genetically modified crops and, correspondingly, foods aroused certain controversy. Intensively of the debates differ from country to country, but to some extend it is pervasive. Advantages of the genetically modified crops are quite self-evident, such as higher yields, improved characteristics, protection from parasites, etc.
Primarily debates are built around perceived disadvantages of the genetically modified products, especially regarding safety for humans and environment. Based on the conducted research, I believe that, while advantages of genetically modified crops are evident, fears regarding their potential harm are largely ungrounded. Therefore, humanity should proceed with using genetically modified crops and develop them further.
This paper briefly discusses major advantages of the genetically modified crops for the World economy and addresses primary arguments of GMO opponents.
Discussions
Probably the most illustrative evidence of genetically modified crops superiority is its increasing share in agriculture:
• Total surface area of land cultivated with GMOs between 1996 and 2005 had increased from 17,000 km? (4.2 million acres) to 900,000 km? (222 million acres) being a 500% growth.
• In 2005 GMO crops were grown by 8.5 million farmers in 21 countries.
• 90% of farmers (by quantity) who used GMO were resource-poor.
• As of 2005 GMO crops comprised 60% of total soybean area globally, 28% cotton, 18% canola, and 14% maize (Austrian Association for Genetics and Genetic Engineering, 2009).
Obviously such growth can be explained only by economic incentives. But who profit from spreading GMOs? According to number of the researches (e.g. Qaim & Matuschke 2005, Food and Agriculture Organization 2004) the economical benefits are shared between adopting farmers, technology suppliers and consumers, and ultimately only non-adopting farmers are penalized as they do not get efficiency gains as compared to adopting farmers.
Study of economic impact of GMOs in developing countries performed by Raney revealed that adopting farmers benefit from higher effective yields (resulting predominantly from reduced damage from use of pesticides) and lower costs (Raney 2006). It enables farmers to increase revenues due to higher output, profit from lower costs, while they can maintain lower prices. According to this study although economical incentives are high for GMO in developed countries, it are even more sufficient for poor developing countries.
Processing your request, Please wait....
