Using microorganisms for food production is advantageous because they are easy to handle and can grow in any country, they multiply very quickly and their waste products can be used for other industrial purposes.
"In developing countries about 650 million of the poorest people live in rural areas where the local production of food is the main economic activity. Without successful agriculture, these people will have neither employment nor the resources they need for a better life. Farming the land is the engine of progress in less developed countries." Biotechnology can increase crop yields encouraging the amount of food in developing countries. More jobs will be available helping the people of the country earn more money and sustaining their standard of living.
Certain biotechnology foods are designed to be resistant to pests and diseases allowing farmers to use fewer chemicals, such as pesticides and herbicides, while still maintaining a healthy, high-yielding crop. Reducing the usage of chemicals is beneficial for water and wildlife.
On the other hand, many developing countries are poor but they have a lot of forests and natural resources for biotechnology that would help them. However some companies get greedy and all the rainforests are chopped down for their own benefits. The genetically manipulated plants may contain carcinogenic agents that might contribute to the cancer rates in developing countries. It could also lead to a loss of biodiversity and there are many religious, cultural and ethical issues with biotechnology.
In my opinion microorganisms can be used to overcome world food shortage however it will not have a large improvement. Biotechnology can increase food quantity and quality by modifying crops so they are resistant to factors such as pests, weeds, drought, temperature, and wind. Plants from biotechnology can deal with these problems and dramatically increase the percentage of crops that survive and are harvested each year. Biotechnology can help eliminate hunger worldwide, but it is not the only thing needed because social and economic factors will also affect whether it is right or wrong.
Some countries do not have enough food already and with the world population increasing massively, the demand of food will also increase. The genetically modified food can produce more yield benefiting the farmers as they will receive more money. The world produces enough food but it is not equally distributed leading to an uneven spread. Genetically modified food and fermenters are too costly for farmers in developing countries so it will be very unlikely they will be able to afford it. World food shortage will only be overcome if food is distributed properly.