Nexus - 1701 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

Some of the probable environmental fall-outs from GM crops are cited as unintended harm to other organisms, reduced effectiveness of pesticides, and gene transfer to non-target species. Could these fall-outs lead humanity to the brink of disaster, such that the supposed benefits of GM crops like higher yields and so on are wholly negated? It is possible, as may be gauged from research looking into the odds of GM crops causing unintended harm to honey bees. produce by introducing an antifreeze protein gene from Some of the probable environmental fall-outs from GM polar fish or insects into plants such as tomato to crops are cited as unintended harm to other organisms, enhance their ability to tolerate cold temperatures tha reduced effectiveness of pesticides, and gene transfer to would normally kill unmodified seedlings.’ non-target species. Could these fall-outs lead humanity Arguably, the best-known example of genetic _ to the brink of disaster, such that the supposed benefits engineering is the creation of Bt corn. Bacillus thuringiensis | of GM crops like higher yields and so on are wholly (Bt) is a naturally occurring bacterium producing crysta negated? It is possible, as may be gauged from research proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. By introducing looking into the odds of GM crops causing unintended the gene controlling the production of these crysta harm to honey bees. proteins into corn seeds, scientists have been able to create a variety of corn that produces its own pesticide _ Fears over disappearing bees against insects such as the European corn borer. Close I opt to highlight this unintended harm to honey bees, on the heels of this breakthrough came the developmen over and above the potential adverse impact of GM crops of Bt cotton and a host of other GM variants of soybean, | on other species, as honey bees are invaluable to the maize, canola and so on. pollination of no less than one quarter of a million The benefits attributed to growing GM crops, and the __ species of flowering plants, many of which are crucial to powerful lobby of multinational agricultural corporations —_ world agriculture.’ Is it surprising, then, that the bee was engaged in furthering the research and adoption of GM voted the most invaluable species on the planet at the crops, have led to a rapid increase in their plantings | Earthwatch debate held in November 2008 worldwide over the last decade As if that were not enough, or so. The Global Acreage 2008 bees increase the yields of report, released in February Some of the probable around 90 crops, such as apples, 2009, estimates that the area environmental fall-outs blueberries and cucumbers, by dedicated to GM crops rose in up to 30 per cent, so many fruits 2008 by 9.4 per cent (vis-a-vis the from GM crops are cited as and vegetables would become preceding year) to 125 million unintended harm to other scarce and_ prohibitively hectares. Compare this with expensive if bees were wiped just 4.3 million acres (~1.74 organisms, reduced out In addition, many of our million hectares) growing GM . +e medicines, both conventiona crops in 1996! In all, 25 effectiveness of pesticides, and alternative remedies, come countries are now using genetic and gene transfer... from flowering plants. Cotton is engineering on a commercial another essential produc scale, with Bolivia, Egypt and pollinated by the bee, so we Burkina Faso being the newest entrants to this group. could say goodbye to cheap garments if bees were made Apparently, according to the report, about 70 per cent of — extinct. What's more, it's not just the human race tha the worldwide production of soybeans in 2008 consisted would suffer. Birds and small mammals that feed of! of GM soybeans while the share of GM cotton was 47 per __ berries and seeds that rely on bee pollination would die cent. Countries with the largest plantings of GM crops __ of hunger, and in turn their predators—the omnivores or are the USA (62.5 million hectares), Argentina (21), Brazil | carnivores that continue the food chain—would also (15.8), India (7.6) and Canada (7.6). Even China, © starve. It's true that we could survive on wind-pollinated Paraguay and South Africa each cultivated GM crops _ grains and fish, but there would be wars for the control o! covering an area of over one million hectares. To add to —_ dwindling food supplies.” If you think about it, wouldn’ that, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri- that defeat the most noble of purposes—enhancing Biotech Applications’ annual report on the global crop __ global food supplies—that GM crops are said to meet? situation estimates that, globally, 13.3 million farmers Although other insects and animals, bats, butterflies used GM crops in 2008, which is 1.3 million more thanin and even wasps pollinate, none is designed to be a the previous year.‘ veritable pollinator machine like the bee. Consider these As GM crops are slowly adopted by more farmers in statistics. The value of honey bees’ services as greater parts of the world, a growing number of _ pollinators in just the European Union, for instance, has environmental activists, religious organisations, public been estimated at around £3 billion per year.* Honey interest groups and scientists are slamming agro majors __ bees are said to contribute over USS14 billion to the for their lack of foresight in profiteering without concern value of crop production in the USA’ for the long-term consequences of meddling with the Indeed, agriculture and possibly even the continuance environment. At the forefront of their concerns is the — of the human race as we know it are at risk if bees impact of genetic manipulations on the fragile eco- become extinct. So far, however, it is only beekeepers system that has sustained the Earth and humanity since — who are an increasingly worried lot, as GM crops are time immemorial. rapidly becoming a regular feature of agricultural Some of the probable environmental fall-outs from GM crops are cited as unintended harm to other organisms, reduced effectiveness of pesticides, and gene transfer... 22 * NEXUS DECEMBER 2009 - JANUARY 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com