Is genetically modified food the solution for world hunger?

Maryland English Institute Is genetically modified food the solution for world hunger? Subtitle : What is more serious? Pro vs Cons Charles

Contents • Pros - Cost & Benefits - Expectation of Africa • Cons (my point) • Potential Risk : health risk : Ecosystem Destroy • Summary

Cost & Benefits It shows that • Less damage by insect, bacteria, etc • Can be shipped with less damage • Big size and better tasting • Cold resistance • Faster growth

Benefits

Africa People’s Expectation  Countries in Africa are looking to GMOs to advance and improve their crops with would better their economies and help keep food provided for each family.

But !!! There are two dangerous factor in this technique

Potential Risk We must wait for clear evidence < Frankenfoods > Actually, anybody do not clearly prove GMO’s negative effect. It is assumption based on some results but I think we should not regard it lightly. Many scientist found damage to experiment in rat and another animals. DNA recombination process

Health risks • Health risks • Tests on animals exposed to GM crops give serious cause for concern over their safety. In 1998, Scottish scientists found damage to every single internal organ in rats fed blight resistant GM potatoes. In a 2006 experiment, female rats fed on herbicide-resistant soybeans gave birth to severely stunted pups, of which half died within three weeks. The survivors were sterile. In the same year, Indian news agencies reported that thousands of sheep allowed to graze on BT cotton crop residues had died suddenly. Further cases of livestock deaths followed in 2007. There have also been reports of allergy-like symptoms among Indian labourers in BT cotton fields. In 2002, the only trial ever to involve human beings appeared to show that altered genetic material from GM soybeans not only survives in the human gut, but may even pass its genetic material to bacteria within the digestive system.

Ecosystem destroy Probability to bring on fatal effect Modified viruses could cause famine by destroying crops or cause human and animal diseases of tremendous power. "If you look at the simple principle of genetic modification it spells ecological disaster. There are no ways of quantifying the risks......The solution is simply to ban the use of genetic modification in food." Dr. Joseph Cummins, Professor Emeritus of GeneticsUniversity of Western Ontario

Imagine!! • New species grain seed  enhance ability (resist insect and herbicide) No natural enemy  Survival of fittest  Unified species • But if modified viruses appear….. • If so, all unified crops will die from New viruses. Because they don’t have tolerance. It’s similar with flu. • it can bring on tremendous effect, destroying crops and infecting with human and animal and then disaster. • So genetic diversity is important and we have to keep Ecosystem.

Genetic Engineering: Dream or Nightmare? • Until now, I’m confused. • Many famine country are looking to GMO’s to improve their life. • The other hand, it could have fetal problem. • So I choose disagreement because it’s better choisethan making not to be able to go back.

Reference • Picture : University of Michigan

What do you think about it? • Any question?

Is genetically modified food the solution for world hunger?