12 years ago it seemed that the debate had been laid to rest – genetically modified (GM) food is ‘Frankenstein food’. Dangerous for both health and the environment, never-mind perpetuating capitalism, GM was an option to be ignored. Is it, however, time to reconsider the decision? GM crops provide greater yield for the same area and uses less pesticides and fertilizers, hugely decreasing food costs and subsequently demand.

 

Over a decade down the line, the most crippling food crisis in more than a generation is sweeping the globe leaving millions starving and undernourished with people spending the money intended for education and healthcare on basic food stuffs – essentially being denied other basic human rights to simply survive. Does this not make it an ideal time to engage with food production alternatives that will ultimately alleviate the effects of this crisis?

 

A number of countries have embraced GM and as of yet no environmental and health problems have been reported. The majority of American consumers feed themselves with GM products and, apart from eating far too much (hence the obesity crisis in the country), there have been no health problems to speak of. While it would be an understatement for me to say that eating food that is not entirely food doesn’t ‘go down well’,  it is imperative to look at the facts: either we continue to let thousands and thousands of innocent people die of starvation or we make use of science. With good there will always be bad, but in this case it’s not an excuse.