The developments of genetic modification have been created by purely economic consideration. This is because this technology permits to increase food production, lower food prices, and improve food quality. “For example, countries that often don’t have enough fertile land and because of this food prices are high and directly affect the incomes of majority of the population, the potential benefits of GM crops cannot be ignored”. In fact, this technology will permit higher crop yields. All of this will create numerous consequences. This means that it will reduce farm costs because since artificial crops are created, there is no need to buy new crops. And, because there are higher crop yields, it will increase the farm profit. In addition, genetic modified crops have a variety of positive factors not only under the economical point.
These “first generation” crops have confirmed the ability to lower farm-level production costs. Now, research aims attention on “second-generation” GM crops that will include the increase of nutritional and industrial characteristics, therefore it will enrich the food in term of properties.
Also, These crops will have more direct benefits to consumers. For example, because of this technology rice can be added with iron, vitamins E and A and with lysine. This will benefit the human health. In addition, potatoes will contain higher inulin content and starch. There is the possibility to enrich edible vaccines in maize, banana and potatoes, in order to improve the quality of the food. Phytic acid in maize can be swapped with amino acids, which are very positive for the body. Besides, healthier oils can be inserted in soybean and canola. There is the possibility for the creation of allergen-free nuts. All of these benefits can consequently bring to social benefits of the population. In fact, if the prices are lower and the quality of the food is improved, it will bring to more competition between food companies, therefore more products will be available on the market. This is a social positive factor because it maintains the economy running and, in addition, the customer has more choice of food. Even if the possible benefits of GM crops are large, especially in developing countries, they would need to have some kind of investments. Most of these evolving countries don’t have the scientific ability to evaluate the biosafety of “GM crops or the economic knowledge to evaluate their worth, the managerial capacity to implement directions for safe distribution, and the legal systems to enforce and punish violations in law”.
However, several companies are developing the local ability to manage the acquisition, deployment, and monitoring of GM crops. Also, like for every new technology, negative factors arouse. A potential risk of GM food is of unintentionally introducing allergens and maybe other anti-nutrition. Also, a possibility exists that transgenes may escape from the cultivated crops, and go into wild relatives. In addition, another risk is that there is the potential for pests to form resistance to toxins produced by genetic modified crops. The risk of these toxins is of affecting living organisms.
There are laboured steps to specifically prevent and diminish the risks. Here legislation and regulatory organisation are in act. It is the responsibility of the scientists, producers, and the government to make certain that the public safety of the novel foods that they offer. In addition, they will also need to control its effect on the environment. There is also the existence of risks that cannot be caused or able to be averted by the technology itself. “An example of this sort of risk is the further opening up of the economic gap between developed countries, which utilise the technology, and developing countries, which are nonusers”. These risks, however, can be controlled by establishing technologies adjusts made for the needs of the less developed countries and by establishing laws so that the less fortunate will have access to these new technologies.
In conclusion, Genetic modified crops have both negative and positive factors. In my opinion, I believe that the factors of this technology are very good in all the campus of social, economical and environmental campus. However, the main problem is that this technology is new therefore we don’t know the risks. So, I believe that this technology will be very useful in the future, when first scientist will have studied better Genetic Modified crops.
Bibliography
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"CSIRO." What is genetic modification (GM)?. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. <http://www.csiro.au/Outcomes/Food-and-Agriculture/WhatIsGM.aspx#a2>.
"GM Crops and Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain." GM Crops and Food: Biotechnology in Agriculture and the Food Chain. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. <http://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/gmcrops/>.
"GM Crops The Big Four: Soybean, Maize, Rapeseed and Cotton." Genetically Modified Crops: Soybean, Maize, Rapeseed, Cotton. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Feb. 2014. <http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/grocery_shopping/crops/>
"GM Crops: Promise and Reality." Nature.com. Nature Publishing Group, n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2014. <http://www.nature.com/news/specials/gmcr
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