GMO in food

GMO means “genetically modified organism” and refers to any food product that has been changed at the gene level. Genes contain all the information about how our body should look and function. You can call it our bodies’ “recipes”. Over the years the number of countries growing genetically modified crops has increased. This has caused a lot of debates over the safety of these products. Some people believe it will save the world from famine, and promote better health and ecological welfare. Others believe it contains a risk to human health by growing genetically modified crops. If someone would ask me what I believe and think, I would say that it is the future way to grow crops and it will save many lives.

For example, genetically modified crops can be made resistant to attacks from insects, bacteria and virus. In developing countries, crops can be lost because of insects and result in terrible financial loss and famine. To avoid that fate farmers use pesticides, and herbicides to destroy weeds. It is more cost-effective to spray herbicides, rather than doing it by yourself. But there are consequences by using these chemicals. Firstly, it could cause health health riskseating food which has been infected by pesticides or herbicides. Secondly, agricultural waste containing these two toxins can poison the water and damage the environment. Genetically modified crops can be created to withstand weeds and attacks from insects. In this case the crops will require less dangerous pesticides and herbicides, which is more environmentally friendly. The farmers also do not have to pay money for the chemicals. Some of the farmers probably can not pay money for pesticides or herbicides, so many of their crops get destroyed instead. If their crops get destroyed they starve. However, if they would use genetically modified crops, who is resistant against insects, viruses, bacteria and weeds, they wouldn’t have that problem.

Secondly, genetic manipulation could be used in both the food industry and pharmaceutical industry. Namely, edible vaccines are being developed in potatoes and tomatoes. Medicines and vaccines are expensive, but edible vaccines would be cheaper to produce and much more available.
This will help a lot of people in the developing countries, who can not afford normal medicines. As you maybe know, no parents want to see their child sick without any power to help. Edible vaccines would lessen this trouble and decrease child mortality. Big epidemics can be prevented and stopped before they have even started. Furthemor, even if an epidemic would spread it could be stopped very quickly, thanks to the edible vaccines. There are of course some epidemics that can’t be stopped by a vaccine. One example is the Ebola virus. It spread across many parts of western Africa in 2014. Scientist couldn’t create a vaccine to fight the virus, so instead the doctors isolated all the sick people and waited for the epidemic to diminish. Though for the diseases which have a vaccine used against them, this could lead up to a world where everyone has the opportunity to get vaccinated.

However there are doubts about how genetic manipulation will work with other, natural organisms in the ecosystem and if it can lead to reduced populations or loss of species. Nevertheless, for this problem there are genebanks. In a genebank they are trying to save different organisms’ genes. This is living banks with the aim to save the genetic variation and diversity. In other words, if a species become endangered, gene banks will be able to save it. A gene bank is responsible for registering, studying, describing, and documenting its collection. All these responsibilities exist so they can maintain and regenerate the collection without losing or changing genetic material. Under this circumstance it is completely safe with genebanks.

Finally, people in the world are starving because there isn’t enough food for everyone. It’s a problem that no one could have missed. In fact this could be solved if we just did grow more crops. However as the population increases more land will be used for accommodation instead of agriculture. There are of course places in the world with the area to grow crops, but the climate is too adverse. For instance there is Siberia, where it’s too cold to grow anything. What if we could grow crops like potatoes or corn there? It would result in a lot more food, that can be used to feed people. Genetically modified crops could be grown in areas with poor soil and adverse climate. By producing more crops that can endure long phases of drought or excessive saline substances in soil and groundwater, famine can in poor countries be solved. This has for instance been made with potatoes and tobacco. Genes have been introduced into the plants so they can withstand cold temperatures. Genetically modified crops will also help the rich countries as well. If we can produce more food, and people do not have to starve, the rich countries do not need to send money to the poor countries. So in other words, all the people in the world will benefit from the idea to use genetically modified crops, not just the poor people.

To summarise, everyone must consider whether the positive effects are lower or higher than the negative effects of GMO. It is quite clear that the arguments for GMO are more convincing than the arguments against it. GMO can make crops resistant to insects, viruses and bacteria. It can give us vaccines and medicines. Above all, it can give us crops that can grow in adverse climates. All these positive effects will save so many lives. It will give people food, money and medicines. Of Course there are risks involved, but there are risks with everything. The question we should ask ourselves is whether it is worth the risk or not? The answer to that question is yes, it is. If it can help millions of people to make their lives better, it surely is. The problems with GMO can be solved, like with genebanks, that will solve some of the problems. Unfortunately the future with GMO is unclear, but that does not mean we can not act now. So, are you ready to take a risk to help people?