Myths Vs Reality: These Are The Things You Should Know About GMOs!

Humans have been using crossbreeding methods for thousands of years to get better varieties of plants . The kind of bananas, wheat and maize we know today were not like this in the past. Bananas were full of seeds, wheat was unable to retain the grain in its stalk and maize was originally a grass that could not be eaten . Ancient human farmers were the world's earliest geneticists .

They were doing what we know as traditional crossbreeding. Although at that time it did not get much success and the inefficiency was also high. This process is not much 

 Humans have been using crossbreeding methods for thousands of years to get better varieties of plants . The kind of bananas, wheat and maize we know today were not like this in the past. Bananas were full of seeds, wheat was unable to retain the grain in its stalk and maize was originally a grass that could not be eaten . Ancient human farmers were the world's earliest geneticists .

They were doing what we know as traditional crossbreeding. Although at that time it did not get much success and the inefficiency was also high. This process is not much different from genetic modification. In addition, it is a more precise process achieved with much success in the laboratory. A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an animal, plant or micro-organism whose DNA has been modified and modified to add useful traits.

Why is this useful?
Genetic improvement has been the central pillar of increasing agricultural productivity since ancient times. Crops are alive for a long time if there is a change in genetics i.e. genetics traits. Scientists have discovered a method to extract proteins from the DNA of bacteria present in the ground, which are poison for caterpillars but not for humans. By putting them in maize seeds, they have been made pest resistant. This reduces the need for spraying chemical insecticides. The crop survives longer and the yield per hectare also improves.

Common grafting in plants is also a process of genetic modification. In this way, due to genetic modification, the crop survives for a long time and when humans use them, it does not have any bad effect. In some cases it also enhances the nutrition and taste of food. For example, some GMO soybean oils are healthier than conventional oils.

It is important to understand that genetic modification is carried out using traits already available in nature. GMOs are among the most tested crops in the world. In fact, their testing is much more than conventional crops. GMOs go through rigorous safety tests and assessments before they are used for human or agricultural use.

To meet the growing demand for global food, agricultural production will need to increase by 70 percent by 2050. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 40% of global crops are destroyed by pests every year. This situation is expected to worsen further due to the effects of climate change. Genetic modification for food security can reduce crop wastage along with getting more crops. It will also reduce the cost of food production and make it more accessible.

If more crops survive, the environment will also benefit because less resources such as water and fertilizers will be needed to meet the demand for food. Biochemical research in the GMO sector will give us new varieties of crops, which will be less affected by climate change, pests and diseases will also be less affected. Now the time has come that instead of being afraid, we should adopt scientific research regarding food. Genomics is a safe technology whose time has come. Surely it will play a big role in ensuring food security in future.