For years, genetically modified organisms have been bashed by nutritional experts who believe the food is dangerous and harmful to the human body. However, it may be part of the solution for food security, according to the U.S. agriculture secretary.
Tom Vilsack, the current secretary for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, believes that GMOs might help fight to fix the food security issues in the country and the world, according to Euractiv. However, he noted that GMOs will not be the only solution for solving this problem.
"We think there are benefits to GMOs in terms of increased productivity, reduced inputs, less reliance on chemicals and pesticides, over time there is potentially more nutrient density to the foods that are being produced," Vilsack told the publication. "So we think it is part of the solution, it's by no means the only answer, it has to be complemented with sustainable practices, it has to be complemented with trade agreements that will allow free flow of goods and services across borders."
A work in progress
Vilsack noted that the USDA also has to do a lot more research surrounding the subject before making any rash decisions. He stated that the U.S. also has to teach other countries about conventional methods used within their agricultural industry to help increase the amount of produce created.
However, GMOs may be a helpful solution.
GMOs occur when a living organism's genetic composition is altered in a lab. The result is a new combination that is not seen in nature or through farmers' attempts to crossbreed produce. Though the process is not completely natural, it does help produce a greater amount of crops that are not targeted by certain pests. It can also reduce issues surrounding drought and land scarcity, which is why it might be a popular choice for countries dealing with food security issues.
Facing adversity
GMO research has slowed after the process was criticized by nutritionists and other food experts in the industry. Vilsack and others, including David Zilberman, Ph.D., of the Agricultural and Resource Economics Department at the University of California, believe if research is resumed scientists might find ways to solve the domestic and global food crisis.
"The high costs and uncertainty about the regulation of GMOs have slowed the rate of innovation of new traits and prevented startups and major companies from developing many second-generation varieties that could improve our well-being, enhance environmental sustainability and make a major contribution to addressing the challenges of climate change," Zilberman stated in his piece the Genetic Literary Project.
According to 2015 data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 793 million people in the world still do not have sufficient amounts of food to allow them to live healthily. Some countries food security is also threatened when natural disasters, such as a hurricane or typhoon, eliminate vast sources of food. Political upheaval has also led to food crises.
While the FAO is using several strategies to eliminate world hunger, GMOs may help put food back onto people's tables.
