The great current controversy worldwide is: Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), in such dispute are involved consumers, biotechnology companies, governmental regulators, non-governmental organizations and scientists. The controversial key topics related to genetically modified (GM) food are: risk of harm from GM food, labeled GM food, the role of government regulations, the effect of GM crops on the environment, the effect on pesticide resistance, the impact of GM crops for farmers, including farmers in developing countries, the role of GM crops in feeding the growing world population, and GM crops as part of the industrial agriculture system.
Below are the main pros and cons of GMOs:
ARGUMENTS AGAINST TO GMOS
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ARGUMENTS FOR GMOS
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There are scientific studies that support both positions, but it is possible to believe the studies that perform the same multinationals, who sell the GMOS, where they are ensuring the safe use, also ensuring that there is no genetic contamination and promising high yields; Don´t lack of objectivity these studies?
One of the great promises of GM crops is that farmers use less chemicals, but they don´t. In practice they are selling a technology pack: GMO + glyphosate, therefore, the farmer is forced to buy GMO (herbicide resistant crop) together with the herbicide (glyphosate), and this is used as an herbicide that allows farmers to control weeds of cultivation. This is used for major global crops such as soy, corn, sorghum, canola, alfalfa, cotton. Are the farmers really using less chemicals?
Biotechnology companies often claim that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are essential scientific breakthroughs needed to feed the world; however, the real causes of hunger are poverty, inequality and lack of access to food and land. Too many people are too poor to buy the food that is available (but often poorly distributed) or lack the land and resources to grow it themselves (Lappe, Collins & Rosset, 1998). If the problem of hunger in the world is more complex than just produce more, then; Is it possible for the GMOs to fix it?
History has shown that a huge area planted of a single crop variety is very vulnerable to new matching strains of pathogens or insect pests. Furthermore, the widespread use of homogeneous transgenic varieties will unavoidably lead to “genetic erosion,” as the local varieties used by thousands of farmers in the developing world are replaced by the new seeds (Robinson, l996). As history says, is much better a biodiverse farming system, where communities share knowledge and generate rurality; instead of farmers living marginalized behind monocultures.
Francisca Solar Araya
Agriculture Engineer
References
Miguel A. Altieri & Peter Rosset, 1999. Ten Reasons Why Biotechnology Will Not Ensure Food Security, Protect The Environment And Reduce Poverty In The Developing World.
FAO. 2003. Weighing the GMO arguments: against
FAO, 2003. Weighing the GMO arguments: for