Yesterday’s fiction is today’s reality. Such colossal developments have taken place in agriculture, which we couldn’t even think of earlier. It is a highly debatable issue as to whether these improvements in fertilisers and technology are a blessing or a curse. Some people believe that turning to GM crops will increase the food grain production. In this essay, I intend to delve into the advantages and disadvantages of this approach.
To begin with, the machinery has saved people from tedious work and in the meantime increased the manufacturing markedly. All this is needed to meet the demands of the burgeoning production. Furthermore, genetic modification of food has given us such species which need little or no insecticides and no fertilizers. The quality of food has also improved. For example, a nut protein has been added to soya bean to increase the protein content. We have more choices, even colour and shape can also be changed. We have sweeter fruits and square watermelons are some examples. Secondly, disease- and drought-resistant plants that require fewer environmental resources (such as water and fertilizer). Thirdly, even though the seed is more expensive, these GM crops lower the costs of construction by reducing inputs of machinery, fuel, and chemical pesticides. In addition, due to more effective pest control, crop yields are often higher.
On the downside, such automation has reduced the need for manpower and many people are now jobless. This, genetic modification, is considered as unnatural and as it is relatively new, people are also concerned about its long-term harmful side effects. It is biologically altered. Hence, biotech foods may pose a human health risk. Some methods are also dangerous to the environment as there is contamination of the neighbouring crops due to the altered gene pool. Nevertheless, the excessive production of genetically modified foods will be rendered ineffective over time because the pests that these toxins used to deter might eventually develop resistance towards them.
To conclude, as every garden has weeds, such developments have their pros and cons. But the use of GMOs can only benefit to humans when it is used for increasing the availability, quality of meal, medical care, and contributing to a cleaner environment, otherwise no use of modified crops. We should know where to draw the line and take maximum advantage of this technology minimising its harmful effects.
Yesterday’s fiction is
today
’s reality. Such colossal developments have taken place in agriculture, which we couldn’t even
think
of earlier. It is a
highly
debatable issue
as to whether
these improvements in
fertilisers
and technology are a blessing or a curse.
Some
people
believe that turning to GM
crops
will increase the
food
grain production. In this essay, I intend to delve into the advantages and disadvantages of this approach.
To
begin
with, the machinery has saved
people
from tedious work and in the meantime increased the manufacturing
markedly
. All this
is needed
to
meet
the demands of the burgeoning production.
Furthermore
, genetic modification of
food
has
given
us such species which need
little
or no insecticides and no
fertilizers
. The quality of
food
has
also
improved
.
For example
, a nut protein has been
added
to
soya
bean to increase the protein content. We have more choices, even
colour
and shape can
also
be
changed
. We have sweeter fruits and square watermelons are
some
examples.
Secondly
, disease- and drought-resistant plants that require fewer environmental resources (such as water and
fertilizer
).
Thirdly
,
even though
the seed is more expensive, these GM
crops
lower the costs of construction by reducing inputs of machinery, fuel, and chemical pesticides.
In addition
, due to more effective pest control,
crop
yields are
often
higher.
On the downside, such automation has
reduced
the need for manpower and
many
people
are
now
jobless. This, genetic modification,
is considered
as unnatural and as it is
relatively
new,
people
are
also
concerned about its long-term harmful side effects. It is
biologically
altered.
Hence
, biotech
foods
may pose a human health
risk
.
Some
methods are
also
dangerous
to the environment as there is contamination of the
neighbouring
crops
due to the altered gene pool.
Nevertheless
, the excessive production of
genetically
modified
foods
will
be rendered
ineffective over time
because
the pests that these toxins
used
to deter might
eventually
develop resistance towards them.
To conclude
, as every garden has weeds, such developments have their pros and cons.
But
the
use
of GMOs can
only
benefit to humans when it is
used
for increasing the availability, quality of meal, medical care, and contributing to a cleaner environment,
otherwise
no
use
of modified
crops
. We should know where to draw the line and take maximum advantage of this technology
minimising
its harmful effects.