Possible solutions to food insecurity
Economic solution
Management solution
Technological solution
Advantages and disadvantages of contemporary approaches to food production
The green revolution
The Green Revolution: Waging A War Against Hunger
The Mythology of the Green Revolution
GMOs
List of Advantages of Genetically Modified Foods
1. Insect ResistanceSome GMO foods have been modified to make them more resistant to insects and other pests. A report from the University of California in San Diego states that toxic bacteria (yet safe for human use) can be added to crops to make them repel insects. This means the amount of pesticide chemicals used on the plants are reduced, so their exposure to dangerous pesticides are also reduced.
2. Stronger Crops
Another benefit that GM technology is believed to bring about is that crops can be engineered to withstand weather extremes and fluctuations, which means that there will be good quality and sufficient yields even under a poor or severe weather condition. As populations across the world grow and more lands are being utilized for housing instead of food production, farmers are prompted to grow crops in locations that are originally not suitable for plant cultivation, and culturing plants that can withstand high salt content in soil and groundwater, not to mention long periods of drought, will help them grow healthy crops. Also, animals and plants that have been genetically modified can become more resistant to unexpected disease problems. We can just think of the technology as a vaccine for the species, except that it is encoded into their genes, rather than being shot into their immune system.
3. Larger Production
It has been easier to raise crops that are classified as genetically modified because all of their examples have the stronger ability to resist pests. This attribute helps farmers with producing greater amounts of crops or foods.
4. Environmental Protection
According to an Oklahoma State University report, the increase of GM animals and crops often requires less time, tools and chemicals, and may help with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion and environmental pollution. This means the general health and beauty of the environment that surrounds farms will be improved, contributing to the preservation of better water and air quality, which can also indirectly benefit every person’s well-being.
5. Extensive Protection for Crops
GM foods were created with the use of genetic engineering—a technology that was designed to make sure crops will never be damaged in a fast rate. The method also allows farmers and merchants to preserve the good quality of foods more efficiently by using special substances.
6. More Nutritious Foods
According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, some GM foods have been engineered to become more nutritious in terms of vitamin or mineral content. This not only helps people get the nutrients they need, but also plays a significant role in fighting against malnutrition in third-world countries. In fact, the United Nations recommends that rice that is enhanced with vitamin A can help with reducing deficiencies of such nutrient around the world.
7. Decreased Use of Pesticides
It has been proven that genetically modified crops do not need pesticides to become stronger against various types of insects or pests that may destroy them.
8. More Income
With genetic engineering, farmers will have more income, which they could spend on important things, such as the education of their children for example.
9. Less Deforestation
To sufficiently feed the growing population of the world, deforestation is needed. But with genetically modified animals and crops, the use of this method will be minimized. This would decrease carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which would, in turn, slow global warming.
10. Decrease in Global Warming
As more plants and crops can be grown and at more areas, including those that were previously unsuitable for farming, oxygen in the environment is increased, decreasing the proportion of carbon dioxide and, in turn, reducing global warming. In fact, British economists noted in a study that genetically modified crops have made significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 10 million tons, which is equivalent to removing 5 million cars from the road each year. This means that people would not have to give up their vehicles.
11. Decrease in Food Prices
Due to higher yield and lower costs, food prices would go down. As people in poorer countries spend over half of their income on food alone, this means automatic reduction of poverty.
12. New Products
New kinds of crops are being developed to be grown at extreme climates, such as those present in dry or freezing environments. As an example, scientists have developed a new type of tomato that grows in salty soil. Another good discovery in genetic engineering of plants is the exclusion of the gene responsible for caffeine in coffee beans, creating decaffeinated coffee beans, which can then be grown naturally.
List of Disadvantages of Genetically Modified Foods
1. Allergic Reactions
According to research by the Brown University, resent genetically modified foods can pose significant allergy risks to people. It states that genetic modification often adds or mixes proteins that were not indigenous to the original animal or plant, which might cause new allergic reactions in our body. In some cases, proteins from organisms that you are allergic to might be added to organisms that you were not originally allergic to. This means your range of food choices will be lessened.
2. Not 100% Environmentally Friendly
Though it is claimed by many experts that genetically modified foods are safe for the environment, they actually still contain several kinds of substances that are not yet proven to be such. And what’s worse? These substances are remained hidden to the public.
3. Lower Level of Biodiversity
One big potential drawback of this technology is that some organisms in the ecosystem could be harmed, which in turn could lead to a lower level of biodiversity. When we remove a certain pest that is harmful to crops, we could also be removing a food source for a certain species. In addition, genetically modified crops could prove toxic to some organisms, which can lead to their reduced numbers or even extinction.
4. Decreased Antibiotic Efficacy
According to the Iowa State University, some genetically modified foods have antibiotic features that are built into them, making them resistant or immune to viruses or diseases or viruses. And when we eat them, these antibiotic markers will persist in our body and will render actual antibiotic medications less effective. The university also warns that ingestion of these foods and regular exposure to antibiotics may contribute to the reduced effectiveness of antibiotic drugs, as noticed in hospitals across the planet.
5. Unusual Taste
Genetically modified foods are observed to have unnatural tastes compared with the ordinary foods that are sold on the market. This could be the result of the substances that were added to their composition.
6. Not Totally Safe to Eat
It is proven by scientific studies that GMO foods contain substances that may cause diseases and even death to several kinds of species in this world, including us humans. For instance, mice and butterflies cannot survive with these foods.
7. Cross-Pollination
Cross-pollination can cover quite large distances, where new genes can be included in the offspring of organic, traditional plants or crops that are miles away. This can result in difficulty in distinguishing which crop fields are organic and which are not, posing a problem to the task of properly labeling non-GMO food products.
8. Gene Spilling
It is unclear what effects, if there are any, the genetic pollution resulting from inadequate sequestering of genetically modified crop populations would have on the wild varieties surrounding them. However, it is stressed that releasing pollen from genetically altered plants into the wild through the insects and the wind could have dramatic effects on the ecosystem, though there is yet long-term research to be done to gauge such impact.
9. Gene Transfer
Relevant to the previous disadvantage, a constant risk of genetically modified foods is that an organism’s modified genes may escape into the wild. Experts warn that genes from commercial crops that are resistant to herbicides may cross into the wild weed population, thus creating super-weeds that have become impossible to kill. For genetically enhanced vegetation and animals, they may become super-organisms that can out-compete natural plants and animals, driving them into extinction.
10. Conflicts
GMO foods can cause a lot of issues in the merchants’ daily life. How? These products might encourage authorities to implement higher tariffs to merchants, who would be selling them.
11. Exploitations
Some countries may use genetic engineering of foods as a very powerful weapon against their enemies. It is important to note that some scientists have discovered that these products can kill a lot of individuals in the world by using harmful diseases.
12. Widening Gap of Corporate Sizes
This disadvantage can possibly happen between food-producing giants and their smaller counterparts, causing a consolidation in the market. There would be fewer competitors, which could increase the risk of oligopolies and food price increases. Moreover, larger companies might have more political power and might be able to influence safety and health standards.
13. New Diseases
As previously mentioned, genetically modified foods can create new diseases. Considering that they are modified using viruses and bacteria, there is a fear that this will certainly happen. This threat to human health is a worrisome aspect that has received a great deal of debate.
14. Food Supply at Risk
GMO seeds are patented products and, in order to purchase them, customers have to sign certain agreements for use with the supplier or creator. As the reliance on these seeds expands around the world, concerns about food supply and safety also continue to arise. Furthermore, these seeds structurally identical, and if a problem affects one of them, a major crop failure can occur.
15. Economic Concerns
Bringing a genetically modified food to market can be a costly and lengthy process, and of course, agricultural bio-technology companies want to ensure a profitable ROI. So, many new plant genetic engineering technologies and products have been patented, and patent infringement is a big concern within the agribusiness. Also, consumer advocates are worried that this will raise seed prices to very high levels that third-world countries and small farmers cannot afford them, thus widening the gap between the rich and the poor.
Vertical farming
PROS: THE OPPORTUNITIES, BENEFITS, AND ADVANTAGES OF VERTICAL FARMING
1. Improves Production Output and Maximizes Land Use
A remarkable opportunity from or advantage of vertical farming over traditional field agriculture is that it can help increase agricultural outputs by maximizing the use of lands. The study of Chirantan Banerjee and Lucie Adenaeur revealed that a 37-storey building standing on a 0.25 hectare of land was able to produce 3500 tons of different fruits and vegetables. Take note that field farming within a similar land area would not be able to produce as much.
The review study Kurt Benke and Bruce Tomkins also mentioned that vertical farming could address the issue concerning the declining farmlands across the world due to the reduction of fresh water supply and the effects of climate change.
2. Protects the Environment through Resource Conservation
Vertical farming also aims to address environmental issues associated with the use of limited natural resources and land areas. Because this practice involves maximizing the use of a limited land area, it can eliminate deforestation and desertification due to agricultural encroachment. It also eliminates farming practices that lead to soil erosion and nutrient runoff.
Furthermore, vertical farming involves a closed-cycle design that maximizes the use of resources such as energy and fertilizers while minimizing losses due to runoff and leeching that are associated with field farming.
3. Merges Food Production and Consumption in One Place
Another benefit of vertical farming is that it shortens the entire farm-to-market process by enabling urban farming. A review study by Kheir Al-Kodmany noted that cities need to produce food internally to respond to demand from growing population, avoid price shocks, and address environmental issues concerning field farming.
Vertical farming tackles the issues mentioned above. This benefit translates further to more specific opportunities and benefits such as the promotion of sustainable or self-sufficient cities, encouragement of urban growth, and the delivery of fresh and inexpensive food products.
4. Supports Diverse Crops through an Adaptable System
Vertical farming depends on the effective and efficient use of different technologies and practices such as hydroponic systems, aeroponics, aquaponics, greenhouse design, environmental control, and energy sustainability to collectively implement a controlled-environment agriculture or CEA technology. This technology can maintain the optimal growing conditions of agricultural produces and even animal-based food products.
In addition, because a vertical farm can control different environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, light, and nutrient distribution through CES technology, it can essentially support the cultivation of different types of crops that are sensitive and dependent to weather or other environmental preconditions.
5. Promotes the Efficient and Sustainable Use of Energy
Another advantage of vertical farming is that it can be aligned with renewable and alternative energy technologies. A facility can take advantage of photovoltaic solar panels to store and generate needed electricity for running its CES technology. It can also exploit methane digesters to produce energy, particularly by building an on-site capability for transforming organic waste into biogas. The biogas can fire up fuel-based electricity generators.
Note that there are ongoing studies and tests centered on generating electricity or producing fuels using natural and engineered plants, and cultured bacteria. In other words, given the right use of current technologies or the future availability of more advanced technologies, a vertical farm can work off-the-grid and be self-sufficient.
6. Generates Multidisciplinary High-Skilled Jobs
There is also an opportunity or benefit centered on the creation of different types of jobs from different fields or disciplines. Promoting vertical farming means promoting high-tech green industry. It would lead to the generation of new careers for professionals in the fields of civil engineering and agriculture, information technology, project management, business and management, and marketing and retail, among others.
A new breed of farmers with relevant skills or knowledge would also be needed to manage planting, cultivation, monitoring, and harvesting. Demand for experts in the different subfields of science such as agricultural science, biotechnology, bioengineering and genetics, plant pathology, and horticulture, among others could also increase.
CONS: THE CHALLENGES, LIMITATIONS, AND DISADVANTAGES OF VERTICAL FARMING
1. Issues Regarding Economic Viability Due to Costs
Different concerns regarding economic feasibility collectively comprise one of the notable limitations or disadvantages of vertical farming. For example, Banerjee and Adenaeur noted that the 37-stored vertical farm on a quarter-hectare of land they investigated had an investment cost of more than USD 220 million. Note that this modern type of farm depends heavily on modern engineering and architecture, as well as the application of different technologies.
There is also a challenge over costs and competition for commercial spaces in cities. Building vertical farms in expensive cities can add to the total investment and operational costs. Furthermore, endorsing the building of vertical farms could also increase occupancy cost and real estate value due to additional demand.
2. Possible Environmental and Energy Implications
There are also concerns over pollution and sustainable use. Crops grown indoors depend on artificial light. Note that sunlight can be exploited for natural lighting or self-sufficient generation of electricity through photovoltaic solar panels. The use of light-emitting diode or LED lamps also drives down the cost of electricity consumption. Of course, other than artificial lighting, a vertical farm includes complex machinery and automated systems. Hence, when compared to field farming, vertical farming has an additional energy input.
While renewable and alternative sources of energy can promote the ecological soundness of vertical farming, the practice can still have a considerable carbon footprint if it still depends on the use of fossil fuels. There is a need to improve first renewable and alternative energy technologies to guarantee environmental sustainability and energy efficiency of vertical farming.
3. Likely Disruption to the Rural Sector and its Communities
Another foreseen challenge and disadvantage of vertical farming involves the potential for disrupting the rural sector, especially those communities with economies that are dependent on agriculture. Vertical farms can render traditional farming jobs obsolete. Farmers who do not have competencies in vertical farming would be left jobless. Communities dependent on agriculture would certainly suffer.
Essentially, urban farming would compete with rural farming. The review study of Benke and Tomkins noted that to transition to vertical farming effectively, there is a need to devise and implement strategies or plans intended to educate government officials, create relevant laws or policies, and familiarize farmers to new trends in agriculture.
4. Requires Advance Technologies and Complex Processes
Aligned to the high startup cost of building and operating a vertical farm, another possible disadvantage is the need to apply various technologies and design complex processes. Vertical farming is more complicated to initiate and maintain than traditional field agriculture.
For example, automation through information technology and information systems in vertical farming are essential for maintaining and adjusting appropriate climate conditions without the need for regular human intervention. IT-related technology will also be helpful for monitoring crops, crop maintenance, recording outputs, and determining demands. Nevertheless, it would be challenging to build and operate a vertical farm for someone who does not have relevant familiarity, connection, and capital.
In-vitro meat
Pros
Space
The Daily Express reports that in the UK, 85% of the total land footprint “is associated with animal products, with the land footprint of commercial lab-grown meat being 99% lower than for normal animal husbandry”.
“We can produce the same amount of meat in factories on 1% of the land it presently takes us to do it,” Prie said.
Sustainability
In America, consumers eat 26 billion pounds (13 million tons) of beef each year, which Wired says “demands a massive industrialized livestock system that is problematic for the planet”.
Worldwide, livestock “may be responsible for 15% of greenhouse gas emissions”, the magazine adds, and switching to lab-grown meat would reduce these emissions by up to 96%.
As such, it has been touted as a possible solution to global warming and climate change, and should theoretically lead to a reduction in deforestation for livestock purposes. Prie adds: “It's sustainable, environmentally friendly, we don't have to cut down rainforests to plant crops to feed animals if you're growing it in factories.”
Animal welfare
The system of farm-based meat production “rarely has the animals’ best interests in mind”, Wired says, and animal welfare in meat-producing farms and factories has long been a source of controversy worldwide.
Lab-grown meat, meanwhile, could be “environmentally and animal-welfare friendly, ethical, and less likely to carry diseases”, The Conversation suggests.
“It could increase the proportion of happy animals on Earth if it replaced intensive farm animal production. By happy, we mean well nourished, comfortable, healthy, free from pain, and able to perform.”
Health benefits
“Doing away with slaughterhouses could reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses, as well as diseases transmitted between live animals and humans,” Faunalytics says.
“In addition, lab-grown meat could easily supplemented with vitamins and minerals that are not found in natural meat.”
Cons
Trust
In a survey undertaken by The Conversation, the site found that people often have a “perception that [lab-grown meat] is unnatural”, which “may be similar to people’s concerns about genetically modified (GM) foods – some of those who oppose GM foods are moral absolutists who would not be influenced by any argument in favor”.
Job losses
Many farming bodies are “understandably against this potential threat to their livelihood - and there's some way to go to convincing some food lovers we spoke to,” Sky News says.
“There’s a very real danger that those at the bottom of the business pyramid find themselves excluded from the marketplace, if the world does embrace new, more 'ethical' meat products,” Twisted says. “Balancing the need for development in our farming practices with maintaining peoples’ livelihoods promises to be a difficult tightrope to walk over the coming years.”
Taste
Lab-grown meat could theoretically contain no fat, and would also contain no bones, which may compromise the taste to some consumers, Future For All suggests.
However, at present, little is known about the potential flavors of lab-grown meat compared to livestock-based products.
Obesity
If lab-grown meat proves to be cheaper and easier to mass-produce than traditional meat, “researchers believe it could encourage over-consumption, which could, in turn, increase obesity and related issues”, Faunalytics says.
The merits of prevention and treatment in managing disease
Managing pandemics
Synthesis, evaluation and skills
Use the content from this post to answer the following question:
‘Discuss how patterns in health and the diffusion of disease can be represented graphically’. 10 marks.
Use mark scheme on page 56 from the new syllabus guide (AO3).
