Agriculture, medicine and environmental health are the main areas affected by biotechnology. Biotechnology in itself is said to involve the use of various approaches as well as recent developments in areas of molecular and cell biology on commercial products (Juma C.pp.278). In medicine it has helped in the discovery of modern and effective diagnostics and therapies. Similarly, it has been very successful in agriculture primarily in areas of pest control, new crop breeds/varieties as well as increased crop yields. It has also promised a wide range of other applications such as environmental health.
The living standards of people the world over are improved by technology. Biotechnology is used in many ways to bring about this improvement and this is as follows: It can increase food production, nutritional quality as well as rural employments (Ameden, H., et al, pp. 329-352). Equally, since biotechnology it is also at the heart medical revolution, it has the potential of dramatically improving the health status of inhabitants in developing countries like it has done in developed countries. It can also free the poor for a more sustained and productive labor force and thus enhancing human health and quality of life for many.
Over the last decade, food production in developing countries especially those in sub-Saharan Africa has been on the decline. Since the population has also increased there is urgent need to increase on food supply. This increase in yields is the only way of stopping the trend. The increase in supply cannot come from area expansion since this has already been exhausted and even turned negative in Latin America and Asia neither can it come from expansion of irrigated area since there is an already increased competition for water especially in urban area as well as due to the rising environmental problems related to drainage, soil salinity and chemical run-offs definitely it will come from increase in crop yields (Evenson, R.E., and D. Gollin pp.201).
This problem can only be solved through the use of biotechnology.Scientific approaches must be employed since traditional plant breeding, and agronomic practices that are already in use have resulted into the steady decline of yields. Biotechnology has stood the test of time since it has advanced agricultural productivity in industrialized countries especially the United States and U.K.however; it has had minimal impacts in most of the developing countries, particularly in the farming systems of the rural poor (Graff, G.et al., 369).
Biotechnology will bring forth disease resistant crops, all these will help reduce poverty and hunger since it will promote sustainable food production throughout the year thus taking care of seasonal food shortages brought about by climate change (drought) and attacks from pests and diseases while in the field before harvest and even in storage. Pests and diseases has been a cause of havoc for many small scale farmers in rural areas who can not afford pesticides to spray their crops. This results into shortages and wastages while with biotechnology these poor farmers will be issued with seeds that are resistant to infection and hence increased yields food security, improved nutritional status among households and decreased malnutrition.
Similarly, climatic changes such as long rains and spells of drought have negative effects of crop yields among rural farmers, and with the advent of drought and rain resistant varieties farmers have hope increased harvests and thus selling some portion to get money for other basic needs as well as the remaining for household consumption. In addition the fast maturing varieties and the genetically modified organisms (GMO’S) brought about by biotechnology are believed to bring forth positive result as regard to increased crop yields as well as food security among the poor nation(FAO 2004 pp.90). This is because, unlike the other varieties which take 6-8 months to mature, the GMO’s take 2-3 months to mature and thus more crops will be grown in the same piece of land since land is limiting as a result of population increase.
On the other hand these short maturing varieties will curb seasonal food shortage which result into increased food prices and hence regulate food prices thus becoming affordable to the majority as well as protecting other resources which may otherwise be sold to purchase food. The genetically modified organisms (GMO’S) have also brought about crop varieties with various nutrients in them and hence taking care of nutritional deficiencies/insufficiencies brought about by reduced varieties of food consumed by the poor households. These varieties have met the nutritional needs of many vulnerable groups’ especially pregnant mothers, the elderly and children who may otherwise be malnourished.
When it comes to health, medical biotechnology plays a pivotal role in new therapies (Graff, G.et al 349-363). This helps reduce poverty because healthy people are able to maximize on their output. There are vaccines used for the immunization against the diseases that affect them negatively. There are also those that are used to treat psychotic illnesses. The availability of enough nutritious foods also helps in the improvement of people’s health status.
In conclusion, one has to look mat the various aspects of life that the technology has influenced. This paper has looked at the impact that biotechnology has had on agriculture, medicine and environment. It has concentrated on the various improvements that have been witnessed especially in the developing countries. The major impacts are on improvement of health due to better nutrition and the availability of healthy labor force. This improves the economies and also the social welfare of the people in these countries.
Works cited
- Ameden, H., M. Qaim, and D. Zilberman. Adoption of Agricultural Biotechnology In Developing Countries in Agricultural Biodiversity and Biotechnology; Economic Issues and Framework for Analysis. Boston: Springer Publishing, (2005) 329- 58.
- Evenson, R.E., and D. Gollin (Eds) Crop Variety Improvement and Its Effects On Productivity. The Impact of International Agricultural Research- Willing Ford U.K CAB International. (2001) pp.201
- FAO the State Of Food Insecurity in the World 2004, Monitoring Progress Toward The World Food Summit and Millennium Development Goals Rome; United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. (2004)
- Graff, G., A, Small and G-Rausser “Agricultural Biotechnology’s Complimentary Intellectual Assets Review of Economics and Statistics (2003) 85 (2) 349-63.
- Juma C. Biotechnology in the Global Economy beyond Technical Advances and Risks AgBio Forum, (1999) 2 (3-4) 278-22