Grains of Hope by J. Madeleine Nash
attempts to generalize the basic concept of GM(genetically modified) food and summarizes
different opinions about GM food. Ingo Potrykus had dreamed of creating a rice
could help the poorest people and his rice which was seen as the start of a new
green revolution was first sold in the 1990s. Came the debate. GM food improves
health and living condition of the poor, helps fight starvation in the world
and facilitates the development of agriculture. However, genetic pollution is a
problem to worry. Politicians, GM producers and scientists are for GM crops
while farmers and consumers against.
The Global Food Fight presents different attitudes or movements in different countries in different times. Several EU countries banned GM crops in the 1990s. Meanwhile, some Americans were for GM while some against. In the 2000s, GM crops became more and more controversial. Argentina and China were strongly in favor of GM foods for they benefited from producing GM foods and feeding more people. US, Canada, Brazil, India and Japan were somewhat in favor of GM foods for the profit of GM food industry and the consideration of food quality. Britain and France were opposed for protecting domestic immune-system and farmers.
I am somewhat in favor of GM foods. GM products help a lot with fighting starvation which is the enemy of human being just like Jimmy Carter, a former US president said, “Responsible biotechnology is not the enemy. Starvation is” in the short term. If GM crops is much better than “natural” crops, people will know it soon or later. If not, the use of GM crops will be an experiment in the history of mankind like other experiments. Developing GM crops is another kind of natural selection and the difference is the big cheese is human. Given the potential or unknown damage caused by GM products, I am wary of that. Anyhow, getting food is the main priority, then good food.
Overall, genetically modified products cause some damage. It perhaps, nevertheless, worth trying.
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