Genetically modified food has been a contentious topic since it was invented. When first introduced, it was believed to cause only negative outcomes, specifically for people’s health. However, as time passed, its positive qualities and properties were discovered (Pixley et al., 2019). Although genetically modified food is a recent invention, the humankind will be unable to survive without it due to the rise in the global population.
Among the core benefits of genetically modified food, the opportunity to control its production more effectively should be mentioned. Specifically, studies confirm that, by modifying the genes of crops, one can increase them significantly without changing the area where they are grown (Pixley et al., 2019). The specified outcome will lead to managing issues such as famine. Moreover, the ability to control the area of the land used for crops will increase the sustainability of farming. In turn, without genetically modified crops, one will have to continuously expand the area of the farming land. Since endless expansion is impossible, people will eventually face the problem of food scarcity (Pixley et al., 2019). Thus, the threat of famine will emerge, posing a risk to the humankind.
Therefore, survival without genetically modified food is highly questionable and most likely impossible. Moreover, without gene modification, certain types of food will remain unavailable for a number of people. For example, a lot of people are allergic to certain types of food, such as nuts (Pixley et al., 2019). In turn, introduction of gene modification options will allow removing the factor causing allergy (Pixley et al., 2019). Without genetic modification, food allergies will remain a part of everyday reality for a major number of people (Pixley et al., 2019). Therefore, the humankind is unlikely to survive without the introduction of the options that will minimizing the probability of food allergies. Though being allergic to food represents a significantly lower risk of famine than the lack of resources, it still poses an evident risk to individual well-being. As long as genetically modified food is labeled as such, its effects will remain mostly positive.
Finally, one must mention the opportunities for addressing health issues in poultry and livestock. Diseases in animals used as the source of food represent a massive threat to the humankind’s survival. As soon as the specified resources are affected by a health issue that makes them a threat to people’s well-being, the humankind will be affected severely. Namely, the threat of famine will become a highly probable reality. Similarly, development of diseases affecting the crops is also a possibility that minimizes people’s chance for survival (Pixley et al., 2019). In turn, the introduction of gene modification technologies allows reducing the risk of poultry, livestock, or crops being affected by diseases and posing a threat to people (Pixley et al., 2019). For this reason, the incorporation of genetically modified food into the global food industry will contribute massively to the survival of the humankind. Genetically modified food has a potential for becoming a more sustainable resource resilient to external threats.
Since the population numbers are on the rise, surviving without genetically modified food, which allows for consistency in crops and nutritional value, will eb impossible. Though the exact effects of genetically modified food on people’s health is yet to be explored fully, the specified type of resources allows minimizing the threat of famine. With the focus on addressing vulnerabilities of non-genetically-modified crops, the ones that have been modified will become more resilient to external factors. As a result, the risk of poor harvest and the resulting failure to feed the population will be reduced.
Reference
Pixley, K. V., Falck-Zepeda, J. B., Giller, K. E., Glenna, L. L., Gould, F., Mallory-Smith, C. A.,… & Stewart Jr, C. N. (2019). Genome editing, gene drives, and synthetic biology: will they contribute to disease-resistant crops, and who will benefit? Annual Review of Phytopathology, 57, 165-188.