Introduction
Genetic engineering is a branch of science that uses recombinant DNA technology inbreeding. This practice is gradually replacing traditional breeding and other methods of increasing food production since the process is considered to be more effective and less time-consuming. In the food production sector, genetically engineered food production is gradually replacing traditional breeding thus generating many questions about its safety and morality and its environmental soundness. Since 1973 when the first clone was developed there continues to be continuous debate concerning its environmental soundness especially if adopted as a method of increasing food production (Smith, 1998). As a result of increased public concern various environmental issues have cropped up especially concerning its application in the food production. The topic of environmental soundness of genetic engineering as a method of increasing food production has been discussed by various writers in academic books, journals and press articles. Some of the environmental issues discussed by these writers include its environmental impact on biodiversity, health and other organisms.
Genetic engineering is used by scientists to improve food production by identifying a sequence of genes that are considered to exhibit particular characteristics or traits such as early flowering or high yielding. Despite genetic engineering being widely used to increase food production, most people are still concerned about the environmental, ethical, social and moral aspects of embracing this technology (Shah, 2002). Some of the moral and social issues that have developed include the increasing concern on whether it is ethical to use genes from a different organism to increase production. For instance, vegetarians have been debating if it’s moral to take vegetables that have animal genes cloned into them in order to increase their productivity. In addition, most people are concerned if the procedures used to develop genetically engineered foods are environmentally sound. To answer this question several scholarly and press articles will be used to analyze how various writers argue especially on its environmental soundness as a method of increasing food production. In this paper the views of at least eight academic scholars and article writers will be analyzed among these include a press article on global issues by Shah (2002), an article on physicians and scientists for responsible application of science and technology on value of genetically engineered food and an article by the United Nations environment program on environmentally sound management of biotechnology (UNEP, 2010). In addition, a scholarly article by oracle education foundation center on environmental issues and a scholarly book on plant biotechnology and global food production will also be analyzed among others. These articles and books will be analyzed to determine how the writers feel concerning genetic engineering as a method of increasing food production and its environmental soundness.
How genetic engineering is an environmentally sound way of increasing food production
The articles and academic books analyzed in this paper have varying views on whether genetic engineering as a method of increasing food production is environmentally sound. The article on Global issues on genetically engineered food analyzes how genetic engineering food production impacts the social, political environmental and economic issues. According to the Shah (2002), genetically engineered food has been receiving increasingly media concern especially on environmental, social and economic issues. The article through contrasting perspectives analyses the biodiversity and environmental integrity of increasing food supply through genetic engineering. According to Shah (2002), genetic engineering can be considered an environmentally sound method of increasing food production if food production policies have adhered to the latter. The article on global issues has similar views with the food power article on how genetic engineering can be environmentally sound method of increasing food. According to the article on food power, the writer considers genetic engineering an environmentally unsound method of increasing food production but one which can be improved if special changes are made. The author of food power article emphasizes that genetic engineering will be a perfect and environmentally sound method of food production if legislative measures protecting food information are enhanced (Schellnhuber, 2001). The writer of food power article states that despite the fact that genetic engineering in food production does not sound environment friendly it is unavoidable. The writer however considers the practice environmentally sound because it promotes healthy business competition and increases food security.
In the article by the United Nations environment program the writer uses a different perspective in analyzing how biotechnology in food technology is an environmentally sound method of food production (UNEP, 2010). The writer describes that environmentally sound biotechnology should integrate both modern and traditional biotechnology methods. The writer states that genetically engineered food production can be considered environmentally sound if it addresses certain environmental issues such as biodiversity conservation and promotes equal development of agriculture in rural areas (UNEP, 2010). The article highlights how indigenous communities and practices should be promoted by including them in food production using genetic engineering since they are considered to be more environmentally sound. The views contained in this article compare with those written by Barry (2002) in the International encyclopedia of environmental politics. The author of this book considers any food production method to be environmentally sound if it respects environmental policies.
The book on plant biotechnology and global food production trade implications analyses how environmentally sound this method of food production is by discussing some of the issues that developed due to its integration in food production. According to Smith (1998), it is based on its environmental impact that different trade policies have been developed which according to the author affect trade flows thus making the practice environmentally friendly. According to the author, modern procedures on genetic engineering have impacted environmental factors differently thus the reason it is attracting increasing public concern. According to the author traditional genetic engineering methods such as hybridization and cross-breeding are more environmentally sound and should be integrated with modern genetic engineering in order for its practices to be considered environmentally friendly.
The author of World in transition book considers genetic engineering in food production an environmentally sound practice (Schellnhuber, 2001). According to the author, this practice is environmentally sound since it provides solutions to environmental problems such as increased demand for food as a result of increasing population. However, the author acknowledges that increased dependence on genetic engineering as a method of increasing food production is unnatural and may result in environmental problems in the future (Schellnhuber, 2001). The views on how environmentally sound is genetic engineering in food production are also shared by Thomas and Earl (1994), in their scholarly journal on Opportunities in the nutrition and food sciences. The authors of this scholarly journal consider genetic engineering in food production an environmentally sound method because it creates opportunities thus enhancing the public development and health especially because the methods reduce the use of agrochemical which is environmentally unsound method of increasing food production.
The last scholarly article which was obtained from Oracle education center discusses how genetic engineering food production results in various environmental issues (Library.thinkquest.org. 2010). According to the author, food production genetic engineering develops various ecological environmental issues. The author states that this practice is environmentally sound since it promotes food security thus enhancing individual and public health and wellbeing.
How genetic engineering is environmentally unsound way of increasing food production
All articles and scholarly materials discussed in this paper consider genetic engineering environmentally unsound method of increasing food production especial due to its negative impacts on biodiversity and natural ecology. The food power and global issues articles show that genetic engineering is environmentally unsound because the practice interferes with natural breeding and food production especially when genetically engineered organisms are allowed to interbreed with natural species (Shah, 2002). According to Thomas & Earl (1994) and Barry (2002), genetic engineering is environmentally unsound method of increasing food production because it threatens the indigenous species. According to these authors and the author of food power article genetically engineered food production does not take into consideration cultural, sociological and economic factors thus directly interfering with the immediate ecology hence the reason the practice is considered to be environmentally unsound (Foodsystems-integrity.com, n.d).
The scholarly article from Oracle education center highlights how environmentally unsound it is to alter crop’s genetic structure in the name of increasing food production since it particularly affects the immediate ecology. According to Schellnhuber (2001), the practice of engineering food crops to increase food production comes at a cost especially to organisms that depend on these crops for survival. Some of the principles used in genetic engineering such as producing pest-resistant crops deprive other organisms such as pests the right to survive thus the practice is environmentally unsound because it does not promote natural competition. In most cases, genetic engineering is done to make crops pest or herb resistant which indirectly affects the pests. According to the writer of food power article, in a sound environment all organisms should be given a level ground to compete. Genetic engineering food production tends to help the desired crops and animals overcome this environmental factor thus making the practice unhealthy (Library.thinkquest.org. 2010). In addition, this method of increasing food production is environmentally unsound since it interferes with the natural flow in a food chain.
While according to Shah (2001), genetic engineering in food production lowers expenses and increases food supply, it may indirectly cause unforeseen health problems. In addition, the method is environmentally unsound because in most cases it converts animals and plants to produce machines that are not part of a natural environment. Due to the insertion of new genes, genetic engineering in food production is environmentally unsound since it increases the likely hood of targeted pests and disease mutating (Smith, 1998). In some cases the mutated medical condition may develop into a form that can infect plants or animals that were never infected by the same previously. As a result genetic engineering in food production can be viewed as a breeding ground for new health problems. The concept behind genetic engineering according to the article on food power is unjust since it can contribute to destruction of insects, birds and other organisms which are considered by farmers to lower crop production. According to Barry (2002), Genetic engineering as a method of increasing food production will continue to remain environmentally unsafe until environmental policies are developed to regulate its interference with the natural environment.
Analysis
The press articles, journals and scholarly books view genetic engineering method of increasing food production from two perspectives especially based on its environmental soundness. On one hand these articles and books recognize the importance of adopting genetic engineering in improving food production especially since it reduces the application of agrochemicals which are considered alternatives for better food productions. The articles, journals and scholarly books discussed above share similar perspectives on how genetic engineering in food production helps and affect the environment. The planet has been struggling with increasing pollution rates especially due to use of chemicals, oil and other pollutants. According to the discussed articles and books, genetic engineering should be considered an alternative way of reducing pollution thus making it an environmentally sound method of increasing crop production (Shah, 2002). According to the oracle education scholarly article discussed above, genetic engineering is not only proving to be environmentally sound in the agricultural sector but has also been used in other sectors such as in developing oil-consuming microorganisms. The press and scholarly articles use varying perspectives to illustrate that genetic engineering is one of the environmental issues that are ethically acceptable. However, for it to remain an environmentally sound method of increasing food production there is need for scientists to ensure proper documentation especially showing the original organism’s genome in order to maintain diversity.
According to the press and scholarly articles discussed above it is a result of violation of environmental policies by genetic engineers that genetically engineered food production has been considered to be environmentally unsound method of increasing food production. The articles using various perspectives show how genetic engineers violate environmental policies for their own intended benefits to increase food production. Some of the environmental policies that are often violated by genetic engineers include those for protecting biodiversity and ensuring that intense research is conducted in order to lower the possibility of having health problems associated with the use of genetic engineering in food production. Violation of some of the environmental issues on genetic engineering such as ensuring that genetically modified organisms do not mix with the wild species can be attributed to the increased public concern that use of genetic engineering in food production is environmentally unsound.
The information contained in these scholarly and press articles relates positively to Marxist environmental theory. According to Karl Marx, agricultural capitalism is a progress for robbing both the workers and the soil. Genetic engineered food production practices can be seen as a capitalistic agriculture practice because despite having many positive factors attributed to it, the powerful few have been able to use it to rob the targeted population and the environment. Genetic engineering scientists have stopped exploring genetic engineering food production to develop the community but instead have started using it for personal gain which has gradually changed the practice to become environmentally unsound (Smith, 1998). Increasing food production through genetic engineering has been transformed into a human economic model and does not conform to the natural way of regulating life thus the reason this practice of increasing food production can be viewed as environmentally unsound.
Conclusion
Social theorists have always argued that environmental factors such as food production are inborn to the materialism philosophy. Genetic engineering food production was greatly researched in order to improve food security and impact the environment positively. Genetic engineering was considered an environmentally sound way of increasing food production mainly because the process could have contributed to reduction of use of agrochemicals (Shah, 2002). Use of agrochemicals has been considered an environmentally unsound way of increasing food production. However, based on many other environmentally unsound problems associated with genetically engineered food production it can be concluded the genetic engineering is also an environmentally unsound way of increasing food production. For increased food production through genetic engineering to be considered environmentally sound issues highlighted in the articles and books discussed above such as biodiversity conservation, health problems and other environmental ethical issues need to be addressed first (Schellnhuber, 2001). Genetically engineered food production method threatens the environment and the future generation since it can not be predicted easily when compared to other methods of increasing food production (Thomas & Earl, 1994). Unlike other methods of increasing food production genetic engineering is considered environmentally unsound because its impacts can not be recalled once the genetically engineered organisms are released into the environment. In addition, this method of increasing food production is environmentally unsound because it is prone to exploitation for commercial interests (Smith, 1998). For the practice to be able to be classified as an environmentally sound method of increasing food production intense scientific research need to be conducted especially to analyze how it will affect animal and human health and the environment in general. The environment has been naturally regulating life thus it is environmentally unsound to consider increasing food production using a practice that easily conforms to the human economic model.
References
- Barry, J., (2002). International encyclopedia of environmental politics. Washington: Taylor & Francis publishers.
- Foodsystems-integrity.com, (n.d.). Food power. Foodsystems-integrity press.
- Library.thinkquest.org, (2010). Environmental issues. Oracle Education foundation.
- Schellnhuber, H., (2001). World in Transition: Conservation and sustainable use of the biosphere. Earthscan press.
- Shah, A., (2002). Genetically engineered Food. GlobalIssues.org press. Web.
- Smith, N. S., (1998). Plant Biotechnology and Global food production: Trade Implications. Washington: International Policy Council publishers.
- Thomas, P. R. & Earl, O., (1994). Opportunities in the nutrition and food sciences: research challenges and the next generation of investigators. US: National Academies press.
- UNEP, (2010). Environmentally sound management of Biotechnology. United Nations Environment Programme. UNEP Press.