GMOs Curse, Blessing, or Both?

Genetically Modified Organisms or GMOs are quite an issue in the modern world. Some people will defend them with blind fanaticism; some will hate them with much the same dogma. There is merit to both of these positions; on one hand, GMOs could save many lives in countries where nutrition is poor, and growing conditions are sub-par. Not to mention the ability to produce spices and flavors like vanilla without clearing miles of rainforests. Thereby putting many endangered species in an even worse position in the process. GMOs also have the potential to revolutionize how we make many pharmaceuticals and all but eliminate the use of artificial food and medicine products. Most GMO crops produce their own pesticides (a seemingly frightening prospect that is actually completely harmless), reducing or eliminating the need to spray them with chemical pesticides. Still, it can have many downsides. GMOs are immune to herbicides, causing over spraying to run rampant, leading to massive destruction of natural ecosystems. GMOs also get a lot of flack because of the companies that make them and their practices.

Golden rice being grown in a paddy.

What Are GMOs?

GMOs are any plant, bacteria, or animal that has had its genetics changed by humans using genetic tools such as CRISPER. The science of such technology is complicated, but, in short, it allows us to change, cut out, and disable genes and traits. Therefore, it is an extremely useful tool that has allowed us to move onto the next stage of control over life itself.

The Blessings

The United Nations predicts that we will need to increase food production by 70% by 2050 to avoid a massive food shortage. Genetic modification could help us reach this most frightening goal. Recent studies at the University of California Berkeley have shown that genetically modified corn, cotton, and soybean had 20-30% increases in production just because of resistance to viruses and insects. If we start modifying plants to have more fruits and grains, we could see production skyrocket. We could make fruit trees grow faster and fruit sooner.

Nutrition is another critically important thing that needs to be sold worldwide. Plants can also be genetically modified to produce vital nutrients that many people don't get. For example, vitamin A deficiency kills at least a million people each year and leaves half a million blind. "Golden rice" has been genetically modified to produce vitamin A, therefore, is saving lives. GMO plants will also be more adapted to extreme weather events caused by climate change, thus preventing mass food shortages from droughts, floods, and fires. GMO technology can also fight plant diseases. For example, in 1997, the Hawaiian papaya industry was under attack from the papaya ringspot virus. The production of papaya dropped 40% in just one year, and the entire industry was on the brink of collapse. Then, the rainbow papaya, a genetically modified papaya variety immune to the ringspot virus, was introduced, saving the Hawaiian papaya industry. Now as with any new technology there are many lies and misconceptions, the biggest being negative effects on the body. This is a concern that we should be taking seriously as it deals directly with our health. But this has been thoroughly and repeatedly researched and almost all have come to the same conclusion that GMO crops are no more dangerous to humans than normal crops.

The Curse

As with anything that can be good, it also can be harmful. The worst part of GMOs is their best part; they can be made immune to most anything. Currently, most GMO plants are herbicide-resistant, meaning that they can be sprayed with excessive amounts of herbicide. This has two significant problems. Firstly, the excessive use of chemicals can lead to devastating effects on the local environment and plants. Second off, even if the food itself isn't contaminated with herbicides it could leak into the water supply and cause contamination, which can lead to many health problems. This is more of a problem involving company and corporate decisions and policies than a problem with GMOs themselves.

Companies also engage in many predatory and anti-small farm practices leading to the elimination of smaller farms. Such as suing farmers for not paying insane dues on using them and things such as ‘terminator seeds’ which can't be replanted like traditional seeds, causing farmers to have to pay even more to use the seeds. The creators of GMOs are the origin of these problems.

To Conclude

GMOs have a massive potential to help alleviate the problems of our fragile, ever-changing world, but they could also cause a lot of problems and have the potential to cause more damage than good. How we use them and how we move forward with these new technologies should be at the forefront of our concerns regarding GMOs. I sincerely hope we use them to improve the lives of millions and, but we still need to fight and regulate these wonderful but dangerous technologies and practices ensuring they remain safe and beneficial to the people of this planet. Like many things a balance must be struck to ensure safety and productivity, allowing us to continue to use this amazing power without endangering the fragile planet we inhabit.