What are GM (Genetically Modified) Crops ?
Advantages and disadvantages of GM crops and especially in terms of Public health
GM (Genetically Modified) Crops in India and its impact
Please kindly provide me the articles related to this topic
Thank you
Dear Ashish,
Although there is abundant scientific literature concluding both adverse and no effects on human health from GMO and GM crop consumption, there is no yet any comprehensive and critical study on GM crop impacts on public health. There are some reasons for that, among them: (i) most GM-crop based foods are still not labelled,which prevents a proper follow up and traceability on possible effects; (ii) the current research points out to potential chronic adverse effects, meaning that it is required medium and long term studies, which are quite scarce; and (iii) genetic engineering and the application of modern biotechnology on food stuff have proved to be highly contentious, so several public administrations opt for avoiding issues that are related to big economic interest at high stakes (e.g. effects of GM foods and pesticides on pubic health).
Something that it is important to acknowledge is that there is no scientific consensus on GMO safety (see Hilbeck et al. 2015, attached). Although there are articles and voices assuring that GMOs and GM crops are safe and that there is no proof on their potencial adverse effects, there is an abundant body of scientific literature indicating high levels of risks. The following compilations are extensive analysis of the scientific literature on this:
- Ferment et al. (2015) - http://www.mda.gov.br/sitemda/publicacoes/lavouras-transgênicas-riscos-e-incertezas-mais-de-750-estudos-desprezados-pelos-órgãos -- This is a compilation by the Brazilian Ministry of Agricultural Development of 750 scientific articles reporting different GMO risks and uncertainties. Although the compilation it is in Portuguese, the articles abstracts are in English. From page 41 to 93 you will abstracts on unintended genetic effects of GMOs; from page 105 to 178 on agronomic aspects go GM crops; from page 183 to 266 on ecologic effects; and from page 282 to 414 on impacts to human health.
- Heinemann (2009) - bch.cbd.int/database/attachment/?id=10229 -- This is a comprehensive analysis of GMOs in relation to cultivation, pesticides use, health effects, etc. Here (in annexes) you will also find "what a GMO is".
- Smith (2007) - http://www.amazon.com/Genetic-Roulette-Documented-Genetically-Engineered/dp/0972966528 This is a compilation of scientifically documented health impacts of GM foods.
In relation to GM crops in India, you will find a lot of information in the scientific literature, the majority economic studies applying similar methodologies and concluding positive effects. For a critical analysis, I suggest reading Glover´s work (some of it attached).
Hope this insights are useful. And if it happens that you do a research on public health effects of GM crops, I´ll be interested in reading it.
Best wishes,
P.S. For accessing Heinemann just use the link below
bch.cbd.int/database/attachment/?id=10229
Thank you Georgina for your interesting discussion on the public health risks related to pesticide, and GMO. At this juncture it is important to know that bringing cause and effect relationship is tough in public health because of ethical issues, and observational studies take long time, and still not able to give 100% cause effect relationship. As result, business/economic driven businesses remain unchallenged for long time.
Dear Molla, I fully agree with you that in public health, as in other complex issues as eco-social safety, to establish direct cause-effect relationships is difficult and several times even misleading. The attempt to explain safety under this rationale is one of the main limitations of the of commonly practiced risk assessments, as discussed by some scholars.
Thanks you for bringing up the ethical dimension of biosafety of GMOs/GM crops. Although not considered as it should in current GMO assessments, it is certainly an important aspect to consider.
There are serious problems with GE crops and GE agriculture, but many U.S. academics support the GE industry and those with concerns often fear retribution for speaking up. For a revealing examination of the specious talking points of the GMO industry see the following thorough report: http://earthopensource.org/earth-open-source-reports/gmo-myths-and-truths-2nd-edition/
I have not had a chance yet to go through the articles appended, but wanted to raise what may be best thought about as an ethical issue related to GM crops. I live and work in the Yucatán Peninsula, where many maya small farmers are reliant on sale of honey for their only cash income. The EU is a major market, and Europe has zero tolerance for residue of GM crops in food, including honey. Supposedly, there is a ban on GM crops in Mexico (a country not known for a strong attachment to the rule of law), but there is an extensive plantation of GM soy in the state of Campeche, bordering on some of the honey production areas, The potential of this GM monocrop to destroy livelihoods is strong, and would deprive many families and whole villages of the ability to be self sustaining, as they now are. Another dimension of a complex problem.
This article by a German beekeeper is interesting in regard to the relationship of beekeeping to GMO´s. http://www.gmls.eu/beitraege/144_Haefeker.pdf
Mexico is also the country of origen of zea mays, the corn family. There is an extensive bibliography on the potential loss of diversity of the landraces of maize through the introduction of GM corn.
Here is a link to a USDA study that seemed fairly well-balanced, but focuses mainly on impacts in the U.S.
http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1282246/err162.pdf
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