GMOs, A DIFFERENT DEBATE

GMOs: A DIFFERENT DEBATE:

Part 1 of 2 

 

By: Jonathan Rhodes
Co-contributor: Green Communities Consulting

http://giselleheredia.blogspot.com/

Agriculture plays a critical role in a nation’s development and can have huge effects on economic systems (see What If Soil Runs Out by John Crawford and an older excerpt for the FAO by Rolf Moehler). Thanks to the Green Revolution the world saw increased agricultural production as well as advancements in agriculture techniques and technologies. These advancements included plant strains with increased fertilizer uptake, higher productivity per hectare and improved pest control. These three achievements led to developments in genetically modified organisms (GMO) technologies. GMOs promised to be the next evolution in the Green Revolution – a green revolution 2.0 of sorts. After all, the goals of GMOs are the same as the outcomes praised in the Green Revolution: higher nutritional value, larger yields, more robust plant.

However, the public perception of GMOs is much more negative than of the Green Revolution. A dimension of the debate most Westerners are familiar with is GMOs' supposed human health risk. Adeeba Hasan wrote an Op Ed piece for the Berkeley Political Review that begins to address the debate in Why GM Foods Are Not As Bad As They Seem: a message to GM Demonizers. She stated

“…a recent study by Stanford University’s School of Medicine cites a ‘definite lack of evidence’ to support that organic foods are inherently healthier than GM foods… [and] research ‘proving’ the dangers of GM foods is often flawed or premature…”

As the excerpt suggests, the jury is still out on the long term effects of GMOs to the human body. Human health and food security should remain a topic of debate – no argument here, but a less discussed dimension should be examined by the Western world. What are the implications of GMOs on developing nations; the very people the technology is supposed to assist? Agriculture is known to be a driving force for national development, especially for poverty alleviation, livelihoods creation, and nutritional health. The developing world is said to have benefited the most from the 1940s – 1970s Green Revolution. GMOs are expected to have significant positive impacts on developing countries, however there are still concerns about unintended consequences. 

To bring this idea closer to home, consider the impact emerging markets or even developed Asian markets can have on our Western economies, i.e. the recent GMO fear from Japan which could led to an increase in specific global food prices (see the Eamon Murphy article). After all Monsanto, the biotech giant, controls 90% of soybean seeds sold says Scott Tong from Marketplace.org. Additionally, according to the Jan. 2013 Swiss Re study, instability in agriculture in these emerging markets contribute to more severe food shortages for developed countries during times of stress.

The green revolution 2.0 with GMOs at the forefront should be good for development (check out the Europa Bios article). Why then is there strong opposition towards GM crops throughout the developing world (such as Peru and Kenya until a year ago)?  Why are they so stigmatized? With all its promise to end world hunger and nutrient deficiency (golden rice) or potential to prevent another potato famine (Washington Times article by Adrian Higgins Genetically modified potatoes are studied, criticized in Ireland), why are people so fearful of GMOs? Are the fears even founded?

http://www.goldenrice.org/

Part 2: GMOs A DIFFERENT DEBATE part 2 will come out next week soon. It will address the issues faced by developing countries. This will include challenges to biodiversity, livelihoods and economic development.

ADDITIONAL READS and other perspectives on the GMO issue:

David Tribe blog and 600+ published safety assessments

Mark Lynas Time To Call Out the Anti-GMO Conspiracy Theory

Joel Kotkin, The real Winners Of The Global Economy: The Material Boys

MicroPress, FAO underlines importance of agriculture to address world’s environmental challenge

NY Times GMO Articles