The Future of GM Aid

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(permission pending) photo courtesy of ifrc.org

The direction of this GM aid debate seems to point towards more global acceptance of GM technology. Countries like Zambia and Zimbabwe are willing to accept GM food as aid, which suggests that eventually they may use GM grain for their own crops. Though right now these starving nations are only importing GM food out of desperation, future use of higher yielding GMOs could prevent starvation before it becomes epidemic. Around the world, planting of GMOs is reducing the use of pesticides and herbicides, with no health side effects from human consumption reported so far. The main barrier that keeps GMOs banned in some countries is the fear that these human-altered organisms may get out of control and wipe out naturally occuring crops. However, GM crops are simply one more step in the never ending arms race between crops pests, and weeds. They are aviable answer to the current starvation problems around the world in the form of aid, and offer a future solution to crop failure if used for planting.

Much opposition to GMOs is based on the fact that once we begin using them, there is no turning back. This may be true; however, in a world where 700 million people are malnurished GMOs can greatly impact the need for food. Other alternatives are educating rural farmers about subsistence farming so that they can feed themselves. This, however, leads to deforestation and has not been shown to be logistically feasible.