Labeling of GM Foods is obviously a hot topic for us with the upcoming election.

Question

Explanation / Answer

Option 1

As per the claims made by the first group it is true that malnutrition is one of the key aspect, which is answered by the biotechnological industry by the development of genetically modified organisms (GMO).

But it should also be considered that the GMO's are not a solution to hunger and malnutrition. The root cause for hunger and malnutrition is only because of the socio-economical issues of the country and it has nothing to do with the development of GMO's. In such a case the usage of GMO would be restricted only to the developed countries, differentiating them from the under developed and developing countries.

It should be kept in mind that the development of biotechnological products would definitely be costly at the beginning. But it is also sure that the cost of the product would be reduced in the time being. This attribute of the GMO's cannot be compelled among the under developed and developing countries, which ultimately restricts their usage among people of such an economic background.

There are also situations that in the under developed countries that biotechnological spearheads would try to implement their research outcome through the distribution of genetically modified crops. It is not a dangerous phenomenon, but one should also keep in mind about the product known as Bt cotton. The variety of cotton was once known to be a path breaking crop, but it was only later that everyone came to know about its true liability. Using knockout technology the Bt cotton seeds were sold to the farmers on a commercial note. Once the crop blooms up, the seeds that come out of the crop cannot be used again in the development of Bt cotton. Such was the liability of the crop and the farmers were forced to rely on the biotechnological company for seeds. It should also be noted that the seeds of Bt cotton are costlier than non-Bt cotton seeds.

Option -2

It is true that the genetically modified crops tend to possess that unknown risk that could be attributed to their marketing. Any biotechnological products should have to undergo series of tests that completely studies the nature of the newly developed product at all conditions and time. If not there is a greater possibility that the entire human race could be erased of as a result of the mistake as we are new venturing into agricultural products that almost all the humans depend upon.

At this juncture we should recall the usage of the biotechnological development, superbug. Bacteria that have adapted themselves to a variety of antibiotics and have become resistant against them are called superbugs. This phenomenon is a natural activity that takes millions of years for the bacteria to become resistant against a particular drug. But, with current research progression there are loads of opportunities that a superbug is developed in literally every laboratory that we work upon. Such is the risk factor among biotechnological products. It should be kept in mind that even though the GM products are studied for the time being no one could actually ascertain its activity as a part of evolution. If nature has a different version, then we are very well within the reach of another microbe that could cause diseases of the scale of AIDS, SARS etc.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse L
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.