Throughout this article, you will learn the basics of GMOs.
Note: This article is meant to be impartial. The issues with GM products can be further explored in the Connections or Action page. This article is purely for educational purposes.
WHO
Genetically Modified Organisms are not discovered in nature but instead researched, patented and sold across the world. Companies such as Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta, DuPont and Dow control more than 50% of the world's seed market due to their prioritization of GM crops. These crops were discovered by Herbert Boyer and Stanly Cohen, who found a way to "cut and paste" genes. (Audino, 2015) However, well before all these large companies took over the industry, a select few individuals theorized a solution to save billions from starvation. In the mid-1940s, Normal Borlaug, PhD, was honoured with the Green Revolution World Food Prize for his contributions to the Green Revolution. This discovery was incredible as it was less than 10 years after the discovery of DNA, demonstrating the growth of scientific discoveries. (Phillips, 2009)
The key stakeholders of GM products are farmers, scientists, doctors, Tribal nations, biotechnology developers and direct consumers. Farmers and agricultural companies will find direct benefits while consumers with health concerns, environmental activists and organic farmers will be negatively affected. Large organizations against GMOs are the Organic Consumers Association, the Non GMO Product, Are We Eating Fishy Food, GMO Inside and Just Label It!. (Capalbo, 2015)
WHAT
The term genetically modified may cause caution at first, but GMOs have played a critical role in the current state of agriculture. GMOs are unit organisms with altered genetic material to suit specific genotypes. During this method, they're altered through secluded technology to supply some advantage for the organism in its native surroundings and atmosphere. The scientist will isolate the genes they insert into the host organism and mix them with different genetic parts - this is then able to pass through different generations and species. As they are introduced into a population, there is a subsequent impact on natural selection where the native genes are altered, which damages wildlife. (Meilan, 2017)
While GMOs present visual and economic benefits, the products of these engineering processes are harmful to human health, ecosystems, organic farms and the evolution of plant species. Studies have shown the direct impact of advantageous species in wild habitats and the significant reduction in genetic diversity. GM products' most prominent issues are their capability to escape in wild populations, the persistence of the gene after harvestation and frequent attacks on non-target organisms and ecosystems.
WHERE
Genetically Modified products are researched, exported and domestically used across the world. The idea first came along in the United States but suddenly spread to third-world countries that needed ample food supplies. One would find these crops most prominently in Southern Africa, Latin America and Central Asia. Examples of crops are Corn, Cotton, Potato, Papaya and Soybean. The rise of GM products began in the US, but quickly grew across the world. (Audino, 2015)
WHEN
Preliminary research on GM products began in 1973, but action was not taken until the mid-1980s where seeds were planted to farm soy, cotton and rapeseed. This topic was heavily disputed at the time, and was only approved in 1992. The first GM food was a juicy and ripe tomato in 1994, followed by the first genetically modified animal in 2003: GloFish. Within the past 10 years as they have turned from being a saviour from starvation to a major consequence on health. (Lee, 2016)
CASE STUDIES - GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT 🔎
Bangladesh
Eggplants are vital to communities, but the majority of them are destroyed by pests; farmers used a lot of pesticides, making some consumers and farmers sick. In 2013, a novel GMO plant was introduced that decreased the requirement for BT protein for pesticide avoidance by more than 80% while increasing farmer profitability. (Mapoles, 1993)
Hawaii
The papaya industry was a key contributor to Hawaii's economy in the 1990s, but it was afflicted by the ringspot virus, which spread quickly over otherwise healthy papaya. The answer was genetically engineered papaya immunised against the pathogen. If GM products had not been introduced, Hawaii's papaya industry would have become obsolete. (Gashler, 2018)
University of Washington
Scientists discovered a way to use a rabbit gene called CYP2E1 to help remove hazardous pollutants from the air. Although this may feel like a stretch, certain plants were able to absorb nitrogen directly from the environment, resulting in a smaller CO2 footprint. This enabled for the conversion of chloroform and benzene gas into chloride ions and CO2 for photosynthesis. (Held, 2016)
HOW - The Technology Behind GMOs
GMOs are created by tampering with the genetic code of living creatures. The advantageous coding is handed down to subsequent generations, allowing the organism to thrive at the discretion of the laboratory. Before genetic sequencing technologies made GMOs inexpensive and accessible, they were mainly uncommercialized and prohibitively costly. Editing technology such as CRISPR may implant foreign coding, which allows for the best characteristics to pass through. Common examples are the ability to withstand natural variations, jucier/sweeter flavours, and pesticide rejection (Vidyasagar, 2018)
This issue contributes negative impacts on our environment via the endangerment of wild ecosystems, non-target organisms, mass reproduction of engineered allels and the destruction of natural habitats. Human health is also a target as our immune systems have not fully evolved, which may provoke allergic responses, organ damage or toxicity.
WHY?
Why - PROS
GMOs serve several beneficial purposes in pesticide tolerance, economic strategies, disease prevention and pollution. Most prominently, the primary purpose of GMOs is to increase the overall resistance to herbicides and other pests. Pests of all kinds significantly impact the number of crops that can be sold, which eliminating this barrier can significantly increase the crop yield. In turn, crops would be healthier for future generations and will sustain themselves during natural disasters. Furthermore, the increase in efficiency for weed management has a linear relationship with the reduction of pollution, with less use for tractors on farms across the world. (Robinson, 2019)
Additionally, GM crops can resist viruses, which inevitably benefits ecosystems as the mutation will not spread. Furthermore, GMOs will be bought more often on an economic scale since they are brighter and more visually appealing. A brighter, juicer and larger fruit would be more likely to be sold in a world of qualitative measurements. This means lower production costs for farmers and higher purchasing rates with consumers.
Finally, the ideology that GM products are bad for health may be correct, but there are other health benefits. Several diseases in humans and animals come from viruses, pesticides and insecticides. GMOs can eliminate this chance and spike up the number of minerals, vitamins, and amino acids in the food. Thus, based on tolerance, environment, economy and health, GMOs are practical products with many benefits. (Raman, 2020)
Why Not - CONS
What goes up must come down. All the skepticism of GM products must come from somewhere, given the several benefits of these organisms. The truth lies within health and the environment, for ecosystems, animals and humans. With regards to health, GM products are a concern to our health through allergenicity and gene flow. These products are more prone to cause allergic reactions, leaky gut, and inflammation by altering the molecular structure.
Additionally, these products will be introduced to new environments where the engineered traits will find complications with the native genes. Furthermore, GM products show significant concern for the environment. Non-target organisms are often affected, where the expansion of one genetically modified organism can harm several other species. A prime example is the monarch butterfly population, in which the introduction of GM corn had destroyed the majority of the species’ habitat. However, there are cases of genes being introduced to relatives of a species and the instance of an advantageous species taking over wildlife. GM products may be beneficial at the moment, but as the use continues to grow, there will be other impacts on humanity and our environment that sustains us. (Acker, 2017)
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