Another example is Ingard cotton in Australia where heliothis caterpillars were the main problem with the yield of non-GM cotton, and so farmers resorted to an insecticide called endosulfan. This chemical leached into food chains leading to bioaccumulation. Consequently through genetic modification a poison generating gene was directly inserted into the DNA resulting in a pest resistant crop.
Perhaps the main benefits of GM crops are felt in developing counties by farmers in LEDC’s whose costs of production are significantly reduced due to higher yield varieties which has helped solve food shortages. A huge benefit of GM crops is the ability to create herbicides that are specific done by genetically modifying the crop that needs to be cleared of weeds. This reduces the need for herbicides, therefore reducing problems of bioaccumulation within food chains. A great example saw the introduction of a new strain of rice during the Green Revolution in India and Philippines of called IR8 known as ‘miracle rice’ which was a hybrid plant made from cross-pollination. The IR8 combined the best characteristics of traditional rice combining it with the stiff stem of one plant and high yield of another. It had higher yields, shorter and stiffer stalk to support heavier grains as well as the reduced need for pesticides and herbicides. The green revolution in all resulted in India becoming self-sufficient in food grains and in fact rice growth overtook the boom in population and surpluses enabled exporting of the grains to poorer countries such as Ethiopia ().
GM rice in particular has been seen to give additional nutritional value, especially advantageous for countries mainly South East Asian countries whose staple diet is rice. Rice is known to lack Vitamin A, which leads to illnesses such as Xeropthalamia which ultimately can cause blindness. ‘According to the World Health Organization, vitamin A deficiency (VAD) causes some 250,000 to 500,000 children to go blind each year’(). The insertion of 3 different Vitamin A producing genes into the DNA of rice crops, has resulted in a new form of rice called “Golden Rice” which contains high levels of Vitamin A and helped to solve problems such as xeropthalamia.
So as we can see there are many benefits which exist from these GM crops namely for farmers and consumers in LEDC’s which allow them to grow crops sustainably. They have allowed reduced costs due to reduced use of herbicides and insecticides. Genetic engineering has also allowed the removal of allergens from crops currently containing them, enabled plants to resist colds and droughts as well as produce salt tolerant varieties of crops (important in parts of the Indian subcontinent and sub-saharan Africa) if global warming causes a rise in sea level. They have allowed for improved storage times, enabled plants to produce pharmaceutical substances as well as enhance the production of vitamins and anti-cancer substances by plants. However it would not be such a debated topic had there not been risks or disadvantages involved.
The main disadvantage of GM crops lies in that the long term risks to human health are unknown. Genetic Engineering has not been around for a very long time and the effects on human health are simply unknown to us. One fear that that remains is that GM crops could ‘escape.’ If pollen or seeds were carried from test plots, they might result in genetically modified populations elsewhere. Since the genetic modification could involve resistance to herbicides, these plants could become ‘superweeds’ that would be incontrollable (Indge, 2000).
Árpád Pusztai a Hungarian-born protein scientist considered the world's foremost expert on plant lectins carried out research on how the genetic modification of potatoes with lectin (which had traits to defend against insects). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%81rp%C3%A1d_Pusztai) This involved three groups of rats being fed potatoes, the first group were fed normal potatoes, the second were fed potatoes with lectin ‘snowdrop lectin’ sprinkled on top and the third group were fed the GM potatoes. He and his team concluded GM crops may have very damaging effects to our health. They arised to this conclusion once identifying that rats who ate the GM potatoes suffered from brain shrinkage, organ damage, lower intestine damage and harm to their immune systems (Pinstrup-Anderson, 2001). This research however may have been flawed and inconclusive due to the small experimental sample size.
Also the above research was back in the late 90’s and more recent research back in 2003 has shown there to be no risks in GM crops doctors from the BMA (British Medical Association) have concluded. “The British Medical Association is to change its advice on the health risks of genetically-modified foods after its Head of Science and Ethics said she had seen 'no evidence' that it posed a threat” (The Observer, Sunday 25th May 2003). She concluded no direct health risks to people existed and that work needed to be done on the environmental impacts of these GM crops whilst at the same time reassuring the public there were global benefits to enjoy.
Other disadvantages include that pests may develop resistance to GM crops that have been designed to kill them. Also GM crops produce religious complications and moral and ethical issues, they may also produce ecological side effects. Finally most food manufacturers are unable (or unwilling to provide information on whether or not their products contain GM ingredients. This means you rarely know what you are eating. (http://www.geocities.com/gm_crops/questions.html)
It is easy to see from the above why this is a widely debated issue especially due to the health risks imposed on us humans. Certainly vegetarians and vegans have found it offensive to put animal genes in plants. It is argued GM crops may cross pollinate with non-GM crops resulting in future generations left without these GM crops. Although many risk factors ‘may’ exist in GM crops, I would still think on the current level of mankind’s knowledge that they are mainly advantageous to the global population. Sure there ‘may’ be risks involved, but until it is scientifically proved in my opinion GM crops still provide great advantages. Very little if any of the risks associated with GM crops are all risks which ‘may’ or ‘could’ occur, and have yet been proven. This has been proved by one of the top medical associations (BMA) as we saw above. GM crops should not be banned, but the strict controls on quotas, caps, world markets are needed to prevent exploitation of farmers and allow for fair trade. World starvation has more to do with wealth distribution rather than the inadequate production of foods. The huge potentials of improved nutritional value, increased immunity, the fact that they are faster, cheaper as well as being able to grow them in extreme climates surely lead to the conclusion that the advantages far exceed the risks. In our modern day and age of advanced science and technology, any risks that do exist are most likely to be minimised, and if they persist surely the use of such GM crops will be terminated.
Bibliography
- Bill Indge, Martin Rowland, Margaret Baker, 2000, A New Introduction to Biology, Hodder and Stoughton Educational
- Alan Mchugen, November 2000, A Consumer’s Guide To GM Food From Green Genes To Red Herrings, Oxford University Press
- The Guardian, GM crops, Tuesday June 3rd 2003
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The Observer, Sunday 25th May 2003
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, 4th February 2008
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, December 11th, 2006
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Per Pinstrup - Anderson & Ebbe Schioler, September 26th 2001, Seeds of Contention: World Hunger and the Global Controversy over GM Crops, International Food Policy Research Institute
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, © 1998 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
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. 26th April 2007
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, 12 March 2008
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, 21 June, 2003