Globally , human beings have found a way of modifying nature’s organisms for agricultural usage . T his trend has been fuelled by technolog ical advancement that has allowed biotechnology firms to insert particular DNA into plant genomes , thereby producing plants with desired traits. Despite varying opinions, t he benefits of utilizing genetically modified foods are myriad ( Prakash, 2005 ; Schölten et al., 1991 ) . The use of genetically modified foods will help prevent world hunger, provide high-quality nutritional supplement, and will provide higher yield per acre which makes them more environmentally friendly.
The ever-rising global population calls for the efficient use of land and natural resources . In this light, g enetically modified foods have proven to lessen the burden on earth by introducing efficient land use which is also vital in ensuring food security . This is especially in the wake of the multiple challenges brought about by increased food consumption ( Prakash, 2005 ; Bredahl, 1999). There is a consensus amongst technology firms that transgenic crops produce more yields with less land. Further, gen etically modified crops use less time, tools and chemicals, and may help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, and environmental contamination. This means that the general condition of the environment around the farms will be enhanced, contributing to the protection of both water and air quality. In areas that experience little rainfall, the Biotech nology companies have introduced plants that are dr o ught resistant ( Prakash, 2005). Products such as the Golden Rice have proved useful with regard to feeding people in third world countries , and other food deficient countries ( Prakash, 2005) .
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A part from increasing crop yield per acre , vitamins, and other nutrients could also be introduced , thus making the genetically modified foods sufficient and more nutritious at the same time (Schölten et al., 1991 ) . According to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) , some genetically modified foods have been engineered to become more nutritive in terms of vitamin or mineral content. This not only ensures that people can get the nutrients that are essential but also plays a significant role in tackling the problem of malnutrition especially in the third-world countries ( Bredahl, 1999). In this regard , the United Nations (U.N) has endorse d rice that is boosted with vitamin A. T his is vital in dealing with malnutrition and also in helping to reduce deficiencies of such nutrient s around the world. This notwithstanding, s cientists have observed that the world will n ot be able to sustain the population without genetically modified foods . This is due to the ever-growing population, which is expected to continue growing in the coming decades . It is therefore of paramount importance that land is conserve d by making maximum use of it to produce more food as a long term plan.
Genetically modified crops ensure that there are less synthetic chemical pesticides being used by farmers . These chemicals could otherwise be harmful to the environment. The transgenic plants also ensure that as the yield s increase, there is a decreased need for pesticides, thereby, preventing damage to the environment. Due to the pressure t o adequately feed the growing world population, deforestatio n has become inevitable . However, with genetically modified plants, deforestation will be reduced significantly due to demand for less land, coupled with increased yields per unit area of land ( Bredahl, 1999). Consequently, t his would cut the levels of carbon dioxide released in to the atmosphere, and in turn, slow the rate of global warming.
Moreover, genetically modified c rops can be planned to withstand weather excesses and fluctuations (Schölten et al., 1991 ) . T his means that there will be sufficient and quality produce even under severe weather condition s . As the population grows across the world , m ore land will be used for housing as opposed to food production. Therefore, farmers will be compelled t o grow crops in areas that are originally not appropriate for farming . Likewise, they will be forced to c ult ivate crops that can endure unfavorable conditions and prolonged drought periods. In these scenarios, genetically modified crops will come in handy. Overall, therefore, the importance of genetically modified crops in ensuring food security cannot be overemphasized.
References
Bredahl, L. (1999). Consumers Cognitions With Regard to Genetically Modified Foods. Results of a Qualitative Study in Four Countries. Appetite , 33 (3), 343-360.
Prakash, C.S. (2005). Benefits of Biotechnology in Developing Countries. AgBioWorld . Retrieved October 1 3 , 2016, http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech-info/topics/dev-world/benefits.html
Schölten, A. H., Feenstra, M. H., & Hamstra, A. M. (1991). Public acceptance of foods from biotechnology. Food Biotechnology , 5 (3), 331-345.
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