Next Up: GM Crops

The next topic for my blog is GM crops and their viability for future food supply. In recent years, much of the world has been opposing GM crops from becoming commercially used. Here is a BBC Radio 5 conversation I found that mirrors the current mainstream attitude towards GM crops: Helen Wallace suggests there are better ways to improve nutrient efficiency in the future and opposes the 'golden rice'.

Before starting the discussion, I thought it would be interesting to think about the current mindset that the agriculture and policy sector has for GM crops. In the case of 'golden rice': after genetic modification, this rice contains more vitamin A than any other conventional rice, which can eradicate nutrient deficiency in many Asian and African regions. But why are so many people against it? What is your take on this?

(Source: http://www.npr.org)

I leave you with this thought and I will return next time to discuss whether GM crops can be a viable option for future food production in terms of its environmental impacts. The focus will be on its environmental costs and benefits as it is a highly controversial, multidisciplinary and complex topic and analysing all its aspects lies outside the scope of this blog. I will however try to figure out whether GM crops can be a beneficial and a sustainable farming method or are they as bad and dangerous as many (Greenpeace) want us to believe.

Till next time,
Laura