Agricultural Biotechnology has improved the lifestyles of many people, especially in third world countries. In these countries, food is scarce, and people are not getting enough to eat. However, now over thirteen-million farmers are planting genetically altered crops on almost 125 million hectares of land all across the globe. Transgenic crops are becoming more common in the United States, China, Argentina, Mexico, Canada, and other places worldwide. The increase in agricultural biotechnology holds tremendous promise for the improvement of developing nations. Many transnational corporations (TNC's) such as Monsanto, DuPont, and Novartis, say that carefully introducing these types of genetically altered crops can reduce or even eliminate the enormous crop losses due to weeds, insect pests, and pathogens. |
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How Agricultural Biotechnology helps people: Genetically altered crops are becoming more accepted in today's society. This is mainly because these special crops can produce a higher yield of crops, with less diseases. Many scientists are also starting to show their support towards agricultural biotechnology. More than 2,900 eminent scientists, including three Nobel laureates, have signed a statement of support for agricultural biotechnology. Also, in the past month, six national science academies (U.S., Britain, Brazil, China, India and Mexico) and the Third World Academy of Sciences issued a joint statement, encouraging biotechnology but urging companies, governments and charities to promote it to the developing world. How Agricultural Biotechnology is helping worldwide: Agricultural biotechnology is becoming the solution to many third world nations' need for food. These countries may not have enough to feed their people, but agricultural biotechnology can increase the yields of crops by creating plants that are resistant to pests and diseases. |
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Other Countries Impacted: Africa: In Africa, there is very little food. What food is produced is usually destroyed by bugs. This creates an increase in the price of food, which can cause social unrest and even riots. However, because of agricultural biotechnology, more food is being made available to people, which is lowering the prices for food. India: India is using agricultural biotechnology to improve their crop yields. Some of the crops being improved are bananas, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet corn, groundnuts, and okra. Brazil: The national agronomy institute of Brazil, called Embrapa, is working on genetically modifying the black bean. By doing this, they hope to create crop yields without the mosaic virus, which kills up to ninety percent of the harvests. Malaysia: The Malaysians have been fortifying the papaya against the ringspot disease, which has been killing most of their crops. |
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