What are the advantages and disadvantages of Genetically Modified Organisms?

Answers

1. Advantages of Genetically Modified Organisms
- Less pesticide is needed to be used due to insect pest resistant plants.
- Decrease in costs of growing and farming, due to the reduced use of pesticides.
- Higher crop yields.
- Decrease in food prices due to lower costs and higher yield. As people in poor countries spend over half of their income on food alone, lower food prices mean an automatic reduction of poverty.
- Rigorous testing of all GMO crops and products makes GMOs much safer than organic (the traditional) crops.
- New products. For examples, scientist identified the gene responsible for caffeine in coffee beans; by excluding this gene, decaffeinated coffee beans can be grown naturally.
- Reduction of sicknesses and illnesses, as GMO crops are more nutritious. Vitamins and minerals can be provided to children and to people, where they were inaccessible before (i.e.: the world’s poorest and/or most secluded areas).
- Less labor requirements.
- Experts estimate more than 1 trillion meals containing ingredients from biotech crops have been consumed over the last decade with no reliable documentation of any food safety issues for people or animals.
- Genetically modified foods and crops are recognized by experts and regulatory authorities worldwide as being as safe as crops and foods.
- Less machinery requirements.
- Due to reduced costs of production, prices can be further reduced.
- Production of friendly bioherbicides and bioinsecticides through genetic engineering.
- Higher resistance to diseases.
- Less processing needed in factories.
- Less factory additives needed.
- GMO crops last longer. This decreases the amount of wasted crops and foods.
- Reduced energy needs to produce GMO crops.
- Beside humans, livestock and animals are also beneficiaries to the higher nutritious value of GMO crops. They have an increased resistance, productivity, and hardiness.
- Enhancement of the smell of food.
- Decrease of maturation time of the plants, so they can be harvested sooner and more often during the year.
- With time, possible customization of food to meet personal preferences.
- Enhancement of the size, quality and taste of food.

2. Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering
- Nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. Some scientists believe that introducing genetically modified genes may have an irreversible effect with consequences yet unknown.
- Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature.
- Possible creation of new kinds of weapons; genetic food and beverage weapons.
- Additional costs of labeling whether products are GMOs or not. This might increase costs of foods.
- Unforeseen risks and dangers due to the complexity of nature.
- Allergies may become more intense, and also, new allergy types may develop.
- Discrepancies in information flow. GMO producers stress the benefits, but are reluctant to talk about risks and dangers.

Wilfykil answered the question on March 13, 2019 at 10:30

Next: Discuss the moral Issues of Cloning as argued by religionists
Previous: Difference between the responsibilities of internal auditors and external auditors for the prevention, detection and reporting of fraud and error

View More Religion and Science in Africa Questions and Answers | Return to Questions Index

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Genetically Modified Organisms?

Answers

Exams With Marking Schemes

Related Questions