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GMO-Green Revolution

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GMO-Green Revolution
TITLE: DISCUSSION ESSAY: GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IS THE NEW 'GREEN REVOLUTION’ WITH ADVANTAGES IN AGRIBUSINESS AND CONSUMERS.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IS THE NEW “GREEN REVOLUTION” WITH ADVANTAGES IN AGRIBUSINESS AND CONSUMERS.
INTRODUCTION
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified plants produced by genetic engineering technology. The technology allows genes to be transferred from one organism into the other and can occur between unrelated species. The genetically modified food therefore contains modified features or characteristics expressed by the new gene. The Genetically modified (GM) food are produced due to their perceived benefits to both the producer and the consumer and has been regarded as the “green revolution” with the potential of solving food insecurity problems affecting the world populations.
Global commercialization of GM foods have been on increase with crops being produced on 282.4 million acres between 1994 and 2007 (Batisa, R and Oliveira M, M 2009). Despite this sustained growth of GM crops there have been concerns and controversies surrounding the use and consumption of GM foods and more fundamentally the social issue of acceptance of GM foods by people.
This paper seeks to discuss the benefits and risks of the genetically modified foods to agribusiness and the consumers.
Benefits of Genetically Modified Foods
Herbicide Tolerance (HT)
This is also called herbicide resistance mainly to glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium introduced in soya, oil seed rape (canola), cotton, maize and sugar beet (Pretty, J) and it is achieve through the introduction of gene from bacterium usually Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that expresses for the herbicide resistance. This allows the producer to apply any broad spectrum herbicide to the crop field to kill weeds without destroying the crop. It allows the farmer to reduce weed pressure off the crop thus getting high yields from the crop


References: Batista, R and Oliveira, MM 2009, ‘Facts and fiction of genetically engineered food’, Trends in Biotechnology, vol. 27, no. 5. pp 277-286. Available from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167779909000511 [25 March 2009] Food and Agriculture Organization 2003, Weighing GMOs arguments Against. Available from: http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/focus/2003/gmo8.htm Monsanto, Do GM Crops increase Yield. Available from: http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/do-gm-crops-increase-yield.aspx Pretty, J 2001,‘The rapid emergence of genetic modification in world agriculture: contested risks and benefits,’ Environmental Conservation, vol. 28. No. 3. pp 248-262. Available at http://www.cof.orst.edu/cof/teach/agbio/2004/materials/1BSTATUS/Environ_Conserv_emergence of GE in world ag.pdf [11 May 2001] World Health Organization, 20 Questions on GM foods. Available from: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/
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