Genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, are organisms whose genetic material has been altered using techniques in genetics known as recombinant DNA technology. People have been altering the genomes of plants and animals for many years using traditional breeding techniques, however, when GMOs were introduced in the 1980's, a controversy began. An article written by Michael Specter, in August of 2014 in The New Yorker, discussed some of the issues that the anti-GMO activist, Vandana Shiva, had. She had several theories that food containing GMOs are not safe to eat and they impact the environment in a negative way, but, are GMOs beneficial for humankind?.
With the advancement of science, creating genetically modified organisms has become easier and cheaper to produce. This fact could help solve one of the world's biggest problem. Today, about one-in-eight people across the world do not have enough food to eat (Gundersen, par. 1). Thinking of this problem of food insecurity today is a scary thought and it will become even more so in the future as we face a projected increase of the world's population to 9 billion by 2050 (Gundersen, par. 2). Monsanto, for example, whose only purpose is to produce a lot of seeds and ship them to places around the world could help with this issue (Monsanto, 3). Their GM seeds are easier to grow in harsh climates and are more resistant to harm from insects. These seeds could be shipped to countries that need help and have issues with producing enough food for the people who live there. Companies like Monsanto are the answer to problems like world hunger. With new technology and scientific advancements, GMO foods can also be filled with more vitamins and minerals, playing a significant role in battling malnutrition in the third world countries. This, added to more production, would be the perfect equation for solving world hunger.
Though genetically modified organisms are good for the economy, the environment is another story.
