GMOs are entities who’s set of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been altered by use of genetic engineering. The use of Genetically Modified products in the world today, has prompted a lot of debate globally. Their particular genetic composition has been altered in order to increase quality, productivity and resilience to drought and crop diseases. Although, the aim of producing genetically modified organisms in food production was directed at maintaining food security, humans can make use of this technology to change their lives (Carson 12).
Ideally the stop of proliferation of GMO is a path towards understanding the harm it brings to people`s lives, and how the world can prevent this damage from spreading. It is wise to understand that GMO is harmful to both human health, plants and animals. Secondly, companies that produce GMO intend to monopolize the market with foods that are dangerous. Thirdly, transgenic plants are known to contaminate organic plants with the same genetic disorders. (Caris 10) argues that understanding and knowledge on the dangers they bring is necessary to curb its spread.
The fact that GMOs are generated from the injection of other crops genes does give a guarantee that this will be an alternative source of food. However, it is hard to determine the reliability of the inserted gene. However, Food production through this method is prone to many challenges; one of them being extinction. (Jensen 1082) Argues that increase the injected gene reduces in supply, the GMO dies with it. Therefore, it is deduced that GMO is only a first-hand source of food, but cannot guarantee food security. Despite the efforts made around the world in stopping the spread of GMOs, these foods are still presented on the table without verification (Ramón 430).
One is guaranteed that despite the risks these foods possess, they will still find a way to our table without verification. Not a single person can guarantee that GMOs side effect will be a continuous and long-term problem, and it is beyond the capabilities of our current technology to prove safety of GMO to consumers. Many scholars and supporters of GMO products argue that the application of biotechnology is used to increase the nutritional content of several foods will help many individuals who suffer deficiency diseases. They also claim that GMO products can yield medical advantages by injecting a specific vaccine or genes. Nonetheless, it is considered that GMO food is a temporary measure, not the key solution for medical benefits and improvement of food (de Lorenzo 220).
From a recent study conducted by American Academy of Environmental, Medicine advocates precaution GMO foods have not been tested fully for human consumption, and there is a significant proof of likely harm (Arne 1081). GMO has caused a lot of arguments and debates whether GMO can cause non-traceable and indirect effects on cancer rate, malfunction immune system, unknown effects on human health. Numerous studies bear testimony to the seriousness of the effects. For instance, based on a study conducted at Rowett Research Institute in 1998 by Dr. Arpad Pusztai showed feeding GMO products such as potato to mice led them to failure of the immune system (Caris 8).
There was another research published at Purdue University that showed that freeing a transgenic fish to the wild could significantly damage native population to the extent of extinction. As a result, it is evident that GMO products are harmful to our health as their disadvantages overshadow advantages.
In addition, articulate crops have significantly destroyed organic farming and has made food processing activities impossible due to polluted organic foods. Activist of GMO asserts that many transgenic crops possessed herbicide resistance, and harmful insect helps to reduce the environmental contamination (Carson 12). Moreover, the resistance genes introduced to the crop could easily extend to the ecological system. Therefore, the change has led to being caught up in a vicious circle due to the birth of supper insect and super weeds by spreading the genes to them. Furthermore, the emergence of a mutation by biotechnology companies has changed the ecology and gives rises to ruin natural restoration. Several environmental protection agencies have regulated pesticides (Caris 19). They state that GMO crops often have posed a severe risk to the ecology since the crops that contained plant-incorporated pesticides produced the toxin and killed insects as they grow. They also evaluated the risks of GMO to human health, environment, and non-target organism by pesticides.
It is impossible to do away with GMO products just the same as it is impossible to get rid of nuclear waste from a nuclear plant. Restoration ecology plays a vital role in organic farming. GMO products have a disastrous impact on organic farming, mainly because most parts of the organic crop is lacking pollution and keeping its cleanness. However, seeds of GMO plants are disposed of by wind, and it, therefore, contaminates the natural plants. According to a recent research conducted in Japan, Hokkaido region, it cannot prevent GMO Cross-contamination to establish up buffer zones between organic farming and GMO farming. GMO pollution instigated by pollen drift is spreading faster to GMO crops cultivation areas such as Canada and USA. Contamination may happen once GMO crops are cultivated.
As a result, the co-existence between conventional farming and GMO farming is very difficult. Another example is a study conducted in 1999 by the UK-based National Pollen Research showed that airborne GMO pollen can be carried miles away in just 24 hours. Later the pollen was later found 5 km from a field of GMO oilseed rape in Oxford shire (Carson 18). It is true that generic pollution will ruin organic farming industry which love and care pesticide-free, GMO-free vegetables for natives.
GMO products are continuously forced on the whole world by biotechnology MNC seeking to monopolies their GMO products. After Green Revolution, there was a change in agriculture since they depended greatly on the petrochemical industry (Arne 1079). It is also true that agricultural productivity has increased, but agriculture is subjugated to MNC rule forever. By having a lot of produce, farmers and consumers get huge profits, but companies such as Novartis, Monsanto, and Aventis gets a lot of profits. All this companies’ control of food has been far more severe.
In Novartis case, the company developed Roundup Ready Soybeans, an herbicide Roundup that only manufacture Roundup and have made them make unreasonable profits (Ramón 432). RRS use 3-6 times more herbicides than any non-GMO plants. This way, multi-naturals have influenced on the whole world food markets. What will happen when all food in the world becomes GMO food? From the point of view, there will be a significant food problem hence the need to advocate avoidance of GMO crops.
It may not be easy since many people see GMO foods as a guarantee to solve the food shortage because of improvement productivity. But the fact is false. There is no connection between the frequency of hunger in any given country and its population. The main reason for famine and hunger is the public poverty, limited and unequal division of foods in third world and developing countries. The food problem is related to the fair distribution of food but not how yields increase.
The following are some of the most pronounced negative effects of GMO:
The use of GMO has always caused unintended harm to other organisms. It is clear that last year a laboratory experiment was published as it showed pole grains from B.t corn lead to high mortality rates to monarch butterfly caterpillars. These caterpillars always feed on milkweed plants and not corn, but the issue is that if the pollen from a genetically modified corn is blown to the plants then it becomes contaminated. Hence, the caterpillars eat the pollen from the milkweed and perish (Arne 1080).
Despite the fact that the study was not undertaken on a fair or a natural condition, the results were outstanding and supported the viewpoint. Regrettably, this GMO corn is a killer to many other insect larvae; moreover, it is not possible to come up with B.t toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and be harmless to the others (Holst-Jensen 1082). The other negative side of the GM is there less effectiveness of the pesticides: Just as the number of mosquitos has become resistant to the banned pesticides. Many people are aware that in the near future, there will be a problem of insect resistance to B.t other organisms that have been altered or modified to generate their pesticides. There are various disadvantages that come with the use of GMO than the benefits of it. Therefore, it can be reached that this change in technology does not have significance to the world, and it should be removed from use. Countries should come up with laws that prohibit manufacturing of GMO products. This should also include banning of such products in the country. The death toll of people with cancer caused due to GMO products is also on the increase. The questions are why should this innovation be sustainable? What are the best approaches can we use to curb the spread of its production?
Most of the crops in Africa possess these modifications; at more than 9%. GMO products should be labeled in order to let the public select what kind of product they wish to buy. It is consistent with the right to enable consumers to make an informative decision to accept. This strategy will stop the proliferation of GMO crops and monopolism of major companies. The general public holds the right perception concerning companies and GMO crops.
In conclusion, to prevent GMO, people should be advised on the effects of GMO to their body. Awareness is the best approach to address the dangerousness of GMO foods to people’s health. They should know that GMO crops can damage the natural environment. For instance in Japan and Western Europe diffusion of GMOs has been less than 3% since environmental groups avoid this product. However, In Africa, GMO rate is in a grim condition.
Works Cited
Arne, Jensen. “Testing for genetically modified organisms (GMOs): Past, present and future perspectives.” Biotechnology Advances 19 February 2009: 1071-1082. Print.
Caris, Nelson. Genetically modified organisms in agriculture: economics and politics. London: Academic press, 2001. Print.
Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2002. Print.
de Lorenzo, Víctor. “Genetically modified organisms for the environment: stories of success and failure and what we have learned from them.” International Microbiology 12 December 2010: 213-222. Print.
Ramón, González. “Detection of genetically modified organisms in foods by DNA amplification techniques.” Critical reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 2 March 2004: 425-436. Print.
