Genetically modified crops – good or bad?
Genetically Modified Crops have been modified in laboratories by extracting a gene from an existing plant, and placing it into a different plant by plant geneticists, this creates plants new to Nature.
This has traditionally been done for thousands of years by plant breeding which is a long and slow process.
Currently only four countries account for 99% of the world's commercially grown genetically grown crops, the biggest being the USA where they grow in excess of 60% of world production.
In the UK (and the EU in general) a more cautious approach has been adopted, resulting in no GM crops being grown in the UK and no likelihood of cultivation is expected before 2009 at the earliest.
The only GM crops that have been grown are for the government's Field Scale Evaluations, According to a 2003 study Only 2% of Britons said they were "happy to eat GM foods", and more than half of Britons are against GM foods being available to the public.
There a strong opinions about the benefits and disadvantages of growing GM crops.
A history of controversy surrounds genetically modified crops. Campaigners against GM crops and foods say these products could cause all kinds of nightmare scenarios - unstoppable super weeds, fatal allergic reactions, and the unknown threat to nearby wildlife and biodiversity.
Those in favour cite a decrease in third world poverty, increase in productivity and a decrease in herbicide and pesticide usage.
Some of the benefits of genetically modified crops:
· Pest resistance
· Herbicide tolerance
· Disease resistance
· Drought tolerance
· Salinity tolerance
· Insect resistant
· Retention of taste and nutrients
· Production of higher quality and speciality vegetable oils
· Reduces energy used in fertiliser production and application
Some disadvantages of genetically modified crops:
· Long-term effects of GM foods unknown
· Possibility of Gene Flow and the creation of unstoppable super-weeds
· Threat to wildlife and biodiversity
· Swapping genes between organisms could produce unknown toxic effects and allergies
· GM crops could be harmful to beneficial insects
· Increased use of chemicals in agriculture
· GM crops could contaminate other nearby crops
The arguments are further complicated when we are told that GM crops will help feed the world's poor but according to the United Nations, we already produce one and a half times more food than we need to feed everyone in the world.
Other opinions state that the world’s population is likely to have increased by an extra two billion within the next thirty thus requiring us to produce more food reliably and with more nutritious value
Conclusion
It is apparent that when it comes to assessing whether GM crops are good or bad there are many opinions but a lack of hard and non conflicting evidence
It must be more research needed
GM crops could be seen to bring substantial potential benefits; but there are also associated risks which still need to be carefully and adequately evaluated, and it apparent that strong international regulations need to be set up with the aim of controlling GM developments, and avoid causing unintended harm to human health both the vulnerable and the environment.
Steve Hill is a self confidence specialist from the UK and writes for many journals on environmental and health issues. |
