The economic situation in Africa has improved a lot since the 1990s. Yet, rampant poverty and food insecurity still impact millions of lives there. Currently, there is a huge demand/supply gap in the agricultural sector. At least three hundred million are malnourished. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization defines food security as “a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that … [Read more...]
Indian environmental scientist blasts anti-GMO celebrity Vandana Shiva for ‘baseless’ assault on biotech crops
A reader curious about celebrities’ role in the radical environmental movement emailed me recently. He wondered if and their claims about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) were credible. He was particularly interested in anti-GMO claims by Indian scientist Vandana Shiva. Shiva is no newbie to GMO. She speaks often against it. Her celebrity status gives her high visibility. Recently, Shiva claimed that Bill Gates perpetuates Monsanto’s work by promoting GMO in India. She said … [Read more...]
Isn’t Gene Editing a Better Form of Crossbreeding?
Last month the Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety committee (ENVI) of the European Parliament voted to oppose the European Union’s plan to approve four crops—varieties of cotton, soybeans, and maize (corn)—genetically modified to resist herbicides. Their vote exemplifies the mistaken belief that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are unsafe. No one would be sadder than the late Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug. Aside from scientists and students in agricultural … [Read more...]
GMO: The Missing Link of India’s Agricultural Future and the Solution to Food Poverty
India’s agricultural sector is in danger of being left behind, as its neighbors China and Bangladesh are moving ahead with their embrace of genetically modified food crops. Are GM crops the secret to India’s Next Green Revolution? China and Bangladesh, have been keen on utilizing the newly invented GM crop varieties to boost their agricultural sector and also address their food security. Among the various GM crops they’ve introduced in recent decades, GM rice is of special importance. … [Read more...]
‘Evil’ GE Foods and ‘Eco-Friendly’ Organics
This article was co-authored by Vijay Jayaraj. Across the globe, genetically engineered (GE) crops face opposition from environmental and organic food activists, who claim the crops harm the environment and endanger human health. How factual are their claims? The evidence strongly supports GE over organic crops. Not long ago, Vijay visited the Sprouts organic food store in San Jose, California. To his surprise, organic vegetables that had shorter shelf-life and higher risk of bacterial … [Read more...]
When Rice is Worth Gold: Legalization of Golden Rice in the Fight against Poverty
Golden Rice was declared safe for consumption by Canada recently. This has huge implications for the rest of the world, where Golden Rice can be vital resource in tackling vitamin A deficiency and malnutrition. Genetically modified (GM) crops are engineered to display traits that are otherwise absent or subdued in natural crops. For example, gene modification results in crops that are highly resistant to diseases and more accustomed to extreme weather conditions. Sometimes, these crops also … [Read more...]
Answering Objections about Genetically Modified Organisms
Opponents of genetically modified (GM) crops raise a number of questions and objections to growing them and including them in the food supply. Although they cite scientific research to support their claims, a careful review of the literature suggests there is very little evidence to support any of the claims about harmful health effects of GM food. For this reason, combined with the many potential benefits, governments should not restrict the use of genetically modified organisms … [Read more...]
“The End of Doom” Sadly Doesn’t Mean the End of Doomsters
In previous books Ecoscam (1993), The True State of the Planet (edited, 1995), Earth Report 2000 (edited, 2000), Global Warming and Other Eco-myths (edited, 2002), and Liberation Biology (2005), plus many articles in Reason and elsewhere, Ronald Bailey has marshaled, often with other authors, massive amounts of hard data against environmental doomsters' claims of present or predictions of future disasters from population growth, resource depletion, pollution, species extinction, and … [Read more...]
Why I love Fossil Fuels
I am going to make and defend a bold and possibly controversial statement, a statement that makes me a pariah in my hometown of Seattle, where such a thing is considered the ultimate sin. What could be this outrageous statement? It is that I love fossil fuels. That right, I like the dirty and evil things that are supposedly causing Global Warming (or is it Climate Change, or is it Anthropogenic Global Climate Change). Whatever the term for that nonsense, I still love fossil fuels. I like … [Read more...]
A Theological Framework for Evaluating Genetically Modified Food
The public debate regarding genetically modified (GM) food has for the most part been driven by practical considerations. For those on the side of GM food, the economic and social benefits far outweigh any possible negative consequences (if there even are any). In this vein, Reason magazine science correspondent Ronald Bailey points out, “With biotech corn, U.S. farmers have saved an estimated $200 million by avoiding extra cultivation and reducing insecticide spraying. U.S. cotton farmers have … [Read more...]
