“I’d rather die from eating genetically modified foods than die from starvation.”

“I’d rather die from eating genetically modified foods than die from starvation.”

Category: findings | Date: Oct 17 2009 | By: bushmeateastafrica

I received this comment on a blog post I published regarding the rapid growth of the human population and the dire effects this could have on the planets resource particularly on protected areas which may give way to agriculture to feed the growing population. The comment raises the controversial issue of GMOs. Would you rather die from eating genetically modified foods than die from starvation? Is starvation a technological problem not a population one? Read the comment below and let me know your answer to my question.

Iregi Mwenja

Wildlife Biologist

The dire predictions assume one thing - that technology and/or agricultural efficiency remain about the same as they are now.

Does anyone need reminding about the poor agricultural prospects of southern California and Israel, if it weren’t for technology? Yet both have become breadbaskets for their areas, if not other areas as well.

In fact, improved efficiency and productivity in agriculture are responsible for a large amount of the increased agricultural output over the last several decades. I don’t know exactly how much, but it’s got to be at least 50%.

As I read in a newspaper recently, one man said (paraphrasing): “I’d rather die from eating genetically modified foods than die from starvation.”

Starvation is primarily a technological problem, not a populational one.

Technorati : Agricaulture, GMOs, food, human overpopulation, land, starvation