The Issue of GMOs and Its Impact
The issue of GMO is becoming a serious social problem because it affects the lives of many people across the world. It poses threats to food security and healthy living as consumers seek cheaper yet unsustainable sources of food. The problem of GMOs began in the 20th Century when scientists achieved complete and successful manipulation of plant and animals’ genes to produce fast-growing and resistant ones. However, it has led to other social problems such as hunger and poverty as farming of non-GMOs continue to decline throughout the world. Traditional large-scale farmers are losing market to GMOs, and the government should strengthen regulations.
Why the Problem Is Considered a Social Problem
Food is one of the essential requirements for humans. Dining remains a fundamental aspect in varying festivities throughout the world and within friends and families in as far as our culture and customs are concerned. What is more, everyone wants a healthy and nutritious meal. However, the eagerness of the world to maximize food production has resulted in the genetic manipulation of animals and plants. This genetic manipulation of crops has raised a lot of issues ranging from ethical, political, and social problems. The issues of GMOs is considered a social problem because it has affected way too many lives across the world. Besides, GMO is regarded as a social problem because it is one of the greatest threats to food security, which is affecting the world as a whole. What is more, the issue of GMO is considered a social problem because it is a source of conflicting perspectives on the grounds of what every person in the worldview as a healthy living (Maghari & Ardekani, 2011).
When and How the Problem Begun
The issue of GMOs begun in the 20th century when scientists began controlling the placement of genes in new crops by selecting the most productive qualities at the personal gene level. In the 1970s, scientists discovered how they could move productive genes for antibiotic resistance from one bacteria to another. However, a few years later, the technology expanded as scientists began to manipulate genes in not only bacteria but also in animals and plants. To manipulate any gene, they considered traits such as favorable growth rates, immunity to viral illnesses, and resistant to pesticides. Once the moved gene was inserted in another crop or animal, a genetically modified organism with particular desired trait was produced. As the world’s population was increasing, the world felt the need to grow more and better food that could help meet the demands of the first growing world population. Since then, GMOs, have become a new dais in addition to the breeding of plants.
Other Social Problems Related to GMOs
One social problem which is related to GMOs is hunger. Just like the issue of GMOs, starvation is one major social problem affecting millions of people across the world. Many people across the world get sick and die because of hunger. Other social challenges related to GMOs is poverty.
Groups Affected By GMOs
Although GMOs have been declared safe for human consumption by most governments, it has numerous effects on nearly everyone who consumes it. There is nearly every individual consumes no specific group of people who are affected by GMOs since genetically modified foods across the world on a daily basis. According to Amin et al., (2011), more than 80% of the foods that we eat contain GMOs. Worse still, some people eat GMOs on a daily basis even without knowing. Recently, there has been an increasing public interest for information concerning whether GMOs are safe for consumption.
Those Who Are Hurt by GMOs
Organic and Non-GMO farmers are the most hurt following the approval of more GMO crops in the United States and among other regions of the world. These farmers have been forced to face economic harm due to decreased crop values as well as lost markets. Apart from hurting non-GMO farmers, GMOs also harm the body of those who consume it. Even though evidence proving that GMOs harms the body of its consumers is limited, GMOs cause undesired side effects such as organ damage, toxicity, allergic responses, and gene transfer on those who consume them (Bawa & Anilakumar. 2013)
Those Who Benefit from GMOs
Even though there is public resistance to genetically modified food product on nearly every continent in the world, there are numerous companies who benefit from GMOs. Key companies which profit from GMOs include pharmaceutical companies, agricultural and seed companies, and food processing companies. These pharmaceutical companies make a lot of profits by producing genetically modified foods and drugs related to technology. According to Senapathy (2017), these companies use GMO technology to come up with drugs used to treat certain illnesses. On the other hand, agricultural and seed companies such as Monsanto and Syngenta develop GMOs that are resistant to diseases and pests to produce more yield. Food processing foods are made profits by producing various brands of foods.
How It Affects Me Personally
As the prevalence of genetically engineered foods increases, there is an increasing public interest in knowledge concerning their safety. I have limited trust in the GMOs as well as on the institutions and firms that produce them. I am confident that these products have numerous side effects on the health of those who consume them because they have affected my health. I have developed an allergy to genetically modified foods such as eggs, soy, and fish. Whenever I eat genetically modified eggs and fish, my body’s immune system becomes sensitized, and it overreacts to the protein in the foods. Worse still, I always feel dizzy after consuming these products.
What Can Be Done and By Whom, To Alleviate the Issue of GMOs
Controversies concerning the consumption of GMOs can be alleviated by labeling all the products because we all have a right to know the products that are in the foods we are consuming. There is no doubt in arguing that every individual wants a healthy and a nutritious meal. GMOs should be alleviated by banning them or labeling them so that we all know what is in the foods we eat. It is the responsibility of states and food manufacturing companies to alleviate the controversies concerning the safety of GMOs.
References
Amin, L., Hamdan, F., Hashim, R., Samani, M. C., Anuar, N., Zainol, Z. A., & Jusoff, K. (2011). Risks and benefits of genetically modified foods. African Journal of Biotechnology, 10(58), 12481-12485.
Bawa, A. S., & Anilakumar, K. R. (2013). Genetically modified foods: safety, risks and public concerns—a review. Journal of food science and technology, 50(6), 1035-1046.
Maghari, B. M., & Ardekani, A. M. (2011). Genetically modified foods and social concerns. Avicenna journal of medical biotechnology, 3(3), 109.
Senapathy, K. (2017, November 20). The Anti-GMO Movement Has A Social Justice Problem. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kavinsenapathy/2017/11/20/the-anti-gmo-movement-has-a-social-justice-problem/#120f2c333a54
