The Benefits Of Genetically Modified Organisms

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are one of the most controversial topics in science. Consisting of 80% of processed foods, GMOs now heavily influence our lives (Todhunter). Genetic Engineering (GE) has been used in many areas of science and are widely accepted, such as the medical application of genetically modified (GM) insulin. For some reason, there is much debate when it applies to agriculture and food. Why is the same science treated so negatively in a different field? There are many potential advantages that GMOs can provide, this includes saving lives, industries, resources and economic benefits. Although many argue that growing GMOs has unknown risks, if used responsibly, they can host many benefits.

GMO biotechnology is a more efficient and equally safe alternative to the selective breeding process that was used throughout human history. For thousands of years, humans have been modifying the genetic composition of crops by means of selective breeding. Although they were unaware of the biology behind genetic modification, they understood that they can cross-breed plants to amplify the desired physical traits (Rangel, 2015). After raising several generations, the bred plants become more fruitful as the desired gene is more expressed. If humans have been changing genes for thousands of years, what makes GMOs so different? The difference is that selective breeding is like a map to reach the goal of better foods and genetic modification is a GPS system, making the whole process faster and more efficient. The disadvantage of selective breeding is that it is a chance game, as cross-breeding does not guarantee that the desired gene will be more expressed (Lombardo, 2015). GE guarantees the expression of the desired traits and makes the process faster. Another aspect of GE is that unlike selective breeding, it does not cause a reduction in the gene pool of a species. If plants with similar traits are bred repeatedly, the composition of the genes of that species will become less diverse, making them susceptible to diseases (Lombardo, 2015). If a virus infects the population, it can threaten to wipe out the entire species (Lombardo, 2015). GE, on the other hand, has no impact on the diversity of the genes of a species. Engineering a plant to have the desired gene, is simply changing a gene and therefore, the diversity of the gene pool is unaffected. GMOs should not be blamed for the prevalent health issues. This begs the question, is GM food different from non-GM food? Before any GM food is released into the market, it undergoes intense tests and experimentations. After hundreds of studies and almost thirty years of investigation, the answer to this question was found. The consumption of GM foods is no riskier than non-GM foods (Nicola et al). This means that whether food is produced by selective breeding or by GE, the risks and its impact on human health is the same. Therefore, GM products are safe to consume and makes agriculture more efficient by saving resources and money.

Another great application of GMOs in agriculture is that it can improve the lives of farmers and save collapsing agricultural industries. Historical attempts to use GMOs have proven to be effective and benefited their users, especially farmers. For example, a frequently grown crop in Bangladesh is eggplant; being a major portion of the farming industry (Carstoiu, 2017). However, pests constantly attack the plants and destroy whole harvests (Carstoiu, 2017). To preserve harvests, farmers heavily use pesticides, which is not only expensive but also makes them frequently ill. To solve this problem, a new GM eggplant was introduced that could produce Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT) protein, killing off pests that consume them (Niederhuber, 2015). It might sound alarming to eat a plant that produces pesticides, however, the BT protein is designed to target the digestive system of the pests, making it completely harmless to humans (Niederhuber, 2015). This protein is like how chocolate is deadly for dogs, yet it is delicious for people. The farmers of Bangladesh now enjoy the benefits, the use of insecticide dropped by 80%, their health improved, and their income rose dramatically (Carstoiu, 2017). Historical use of GMOs has also benefited agricultural industries on the verge of collapsing. In the 1990s, the Hawaiian papaya industry was attacked by the ringspot virus, threatening to wipe out Hawaiian papaya (Tripathi et al, 2007). Scientists and farmers successfully identified the genetic trait that would create resistance to the virus. The preservation efforts lead to the development of a GM papaya that was vaccinated against the virus, saving the industry (Tripathi et al, 2007). Papaya farming is a strong part of the Hawaiian economy, and without the use of genetic modification, Hawaiian papaya may not have been around right now (Jones, 2015). From historical applications of GMOs, the biotechnology has proven itself to provide many benefits to those who have used it.

Aside from the issues of farmers and industries, GMOs can minimize hunger on a global scale. The traditional and current farming methods cannot keep up with providing food for the entire world, but the implementation of GMOs will solve this issue. The World Food Programme estimates that 815 million people in the world struggle to have food on regular basis (“Zero Hunger”). Making matters worse, the UN estimates that food production needs to be increased by 70% by 2050 to match that demand (“A Third More Mouths to Feed,” 2009). Current farming methods require more land, which requires to clear more forests to make space for fields and pastures (Tilman, 1999). This is costly as it is not easy to expand agriculture. Another issue with expansion is finding fertile land, which with current trends of climate change, the amount of fertile land is diminishing (Tilman, 1999). The alternative to this are GMOs, allowing for sustainable farming practices with the land currently available. GMOs allow for farming to be intensified, which results in greater yields and multiple harvests in a shorter time (Lamb et al). This is particularly helpful in developing countries and villages that face poverty. It avoids farmland expansion which is expensive and requires time and manpower. World hunger is a major issue that can be addressed by simply replacing current low-yield crops with more productive high-yield GM products.

GMOs can minimize the impact of agriculture on the environment and reverse the effects of climate change. A contributor to climate change is the excessive use of nitrogen as fertilizer which can be avoided with GMOs. Nitrogen is an important nutrient that plants need to develop flowers and seeds (Tilley). Normally, plants have their intake of nitrogen from the soil, and for this reason, nitrogen is a common fertilizer (Nolan et al). However, its overuse results in pollution of groundwater which impacts climate change (Nolan et al). Researchers at the University of Nottingham have successfully engineered crops to draw nitrogen from the air (Sosinsky, 2018). This is a breakthrough in the agricultural industry as it can solve the overuse of nitrogen fertilizers and the subsequent pollution of water and climate change. The second contributor to climate change is the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which can be reduced with GMOs. The American Chestnut tree is known for its incredible ability to be an effective carbon sink (large intake of carbon dioxide from the air) (Dunn). With the help of GE, researchers copied the behaviour of the Chestnut tree, making other trees more efficiently intake carbon dioxide (Powell, 2016). If these trees become widespread, they can help counteract the effects of human activities on climate change. GMOs can also reduce the extensive use of machinery and herbicides by farmers which contributes to climate change. It is becoming popular for farmers to use GM crops that compete with and prevent the growth of weeds (Hall, 2016). If no weeds can grow in the fields, farmers will not have to till the soil as often to remove them (Hall, 2016). This is beneficial to farmers as they do not need to tamper with the soil as much, which maintains water retention and reduces farm fuel costs (Hall, 2016). This strategy proves its effectiveness, as in 2014, GM crops reduced atmospheric carbon dioxide emission by 2. 4 billion kilograms (Brookes and Barfoot, 2016). GM crops reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural production, which is important in combating climate change. Biotechnology can provide a diverse possible number of solutions to climate change and imagination is the limit.

Despite the negative public image of GMOs, the research and science reveal the many benefits it possesses. It has proven that GM products are safe, disease-resistant, productive and nutritious. GMOs have also proven they can save industries, provide for the hungry, and reverse climate change. GMOs could be the most powerful tool to build a better world for people now and in the future.

Works Cited

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