Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) have been a frequent topic of discussion in the food industry because of their artificial alterations. Groups like the Non-GMO Project have spent the past decade trying to prevent the spread of GMOs, specifically foods, in the United States and Canada. For most Americans and Canadians, the GMO debate is irrelevant to our daily lives because we have access to so many foods regardless of whether or not there are GMO products in our stores. However, GMOs could become a necessity in parts of the world with access to fewer foods.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 45 percent of child deaths worldwide were a result of undernutrition. In most cases, undernutrition results from vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Vitamin A, iron, and iodine deficiency are all common in struggling communities around the world. A deficiency of vitamin A can lead to blindness in children and a compromised immune system. The WHO and many charitable organizations have tried providing supplemental nutrients as pills and powders but that can be expensive and ultimately does not promote long-term independence and stability for places that could certainly benefit from it. A more sustainable solution to this problem would be the introduction of GMOs to these areas that are modified to contain the nutrients people lack.
One promising agricultural development is “golden” crops. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, golden rice was developed by Swiss and German scientists. Golden rice contains beta-carotene that normal rice lacks. The human body can turn that beta-carotene into vitamin A (the beta-carotene also gives the rice a gold hue hence the name). Less than 1 cup of this rice would give a child the amount of vitamin A they need daily, and the rice has been approved for consumption by the FDA and equivalent organizations in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.
Despite the apparent success of golden rice, it has yet to see widespread implementation in developing countries where vitamin A deficiency is prevalent often due to hesitancy surrounding GMO products. Considering how countries in Europe and the United States have treated areas in Africa and South America historically, it’s understandable that these places would be wary of these so-called “super foods” that will solve all their nutritional problems, but in this case, the creators of golden rice are truly trying to help developing countries since they allow developing countries to use their patented technologies free of charge.
Scientists have also made a golden banana which carries a large amount of vitamin A like the rice. However, the bananas were developed by Australian scientists who worked with Ugandan scientists. By having Ugandan scientists play a more active role in the research process, they hope to make the banana more appealing to the average Ugandan. Uganda is a country that has struggled with vitamin A deficiency for many years, but their diet also includes many bananas especially in rural areas. The golden banana works nicely to not alter the Ugandan diet but still introduce more nutrients to their foods.
While Ugandan scientists have played a major role in the development of golden bananas, there are still Ugandan groups that fight back against the use of GMOs like the Non-GMO Project in the United States. This is a major roadblock to introducing these nutritional GMOs to countries that need them. It’s good that people are concerned about what goes into their body and what crops farmers grow because they should be careful about these things. In all fairness, nobody knows what a new crop could do to the local ecosystem or the population’s health.
Ultimately, GMOs require testing. This may seem obvious, but I think it’s the only way for these foods to be used. Scientists should continue to collaborate between countries regardless of who the food is for. The golden banana is an amazing example of how collaboration can build trust. The banana was first tested in Australia and then sent to Uganda for more testing in their environment. When a country’s population can see the food being grown in their country, then they can better understand the banana’s purpose without having to slug through verbose scientific journals. All this testing has a few drawbacks, especially with how expensive it can become, but it would be worth it in the long run when more children can develop properly and contribute to their communities as they grow up.
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