To help sustain the planet, buy GMO food
Minimize pesticide use, and reduce irrigation required
In pursuit of sustainability, shoppers are reaching for the organic apple or the GMO-free chips. But if we truly want to reach that goal, on our next trip to the farmers’ market or grocery store, we should consider reaching for the genetically modified tomato or wheat instead.
In an era of climate change, a growing world population and finite resources, both producers and consumers are trying to make sustainable choices. Solar-powered buses and bans on plastic bags are sprouting up across the country. Nations are working together to reach unprecedented environmental goals. And deeply embedded in this unified effort lies one area that remains contentious and widely misunderstood: food.
Just what makes food sustainable? Some say that the goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s current food and textile needs without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs. There are two key considerations when striving for this noble goal: environment and economy. Minimizing pesticide use and reducing water consumption are two factors that contribute to a healthy environment. A thriving farm, efficient use of land and happy customers all affect the economy.
How do we move forward when so many of us are paralyzed by the pro- and anti-GMO movements? To say that GMOs provide the only avenue toward sustainability is woefully wrong. The same can be said for organic farming. Where either of these methods falls short, the other can be there to lend a hand.
Genetically modified organisms can preserve the environment and build an economy for future generations.
Farms commonly use pesticides to control weeds, insects, fungus and many other pests that can decrease crop quality and quantity. The debate rages over whether GMOs decrease pesticide use: Go ahead, look it up. A quick Google search will show you the graphs you want to see.
What is certain is that researchers are able to alter the DNA of certain crops to minimize destruction by viruses, fungus and pests. This approach is being applied to preserve the banana from extinction and ensure continued growth of cacao plants, and it has already helped save a Hawaiian papaya. Unfortunately, pests and disease aren’t the only concerns.
The California drought of recent years has shown us the precious value of water, which can disappear as quickly as it can arrive. Several varieties of GMO crops can not only survive but also thrive in dry areas — helping to reduce irrigation and water use. On the opposite end of the spectrum, researchers have engineered rice that can grow in overly flooded rice paddy fields, a common occurrence in Asia. As our climate changes, monsoons are intensifying and droughts are lasting longer. Under these dire circumstances, genetically modified agriculture provides an avenue to feed Earth’s 7.6 billion people in both developing and industrialized nations. New pests and changing climates are not mutually exclusive for many crops. In fact, one often leads to the other. As the planet warms, land suitable for agriculture slowly migrates north in latitude and higher in elevation. When farmers plant their crops at these higher altitudes, where the air is cooler and more humid, crops can encounter new species of bacteria, fungus and insects. In pursuit of sustainability, genetically modified crops can boost the environment by minimizing crop devastation from pests and thus reducing food waste. Researchers have also developed GM crops that produce more food per acre than their non-GM counterparts. By altering only one sequence of DNA, researchers in New York developed tomato plants that sprouted additional branches, leading to more tomatoes. By altering only one additional sequence of DNA, tomatoes stayed on the branch longer without prematurely falling off. These two changes help farmers improve their yield and revenue by harvesting more tomatoes per acre of land and by collecting them all at once so a fraction of the crop isn’t left to decay on the ground. Ensuring the health and well-being of future generations will require a combination of organic and GMO foods. We all desire sustainability, but creative compromise and mutual trust will help us reach our goal.