This post explores what the issues behind genetically modified organisms are and whether there are any solutions. The cover image is from pixabay.
Genetically modified organisms are made from seeds that have had their traits altered through genetic engineering. The intention behind them was to produce crop that was more resilient to detrimental factors, reducing the need for pesticides and fertilizers. Genetic modification by itself is not a bad thing and happens naturally as well through the art of crop breeding. A lot of the grains and millets we eat today have evolved from what were considered weeds. Farmers would select and reproduce the best performing crops from their fields as parents which over time would develop desirable traits in their offspring. Genetic engineering aimed on speeding up that process. That sounds good, but I feel the issues with GMOs aren't in modifying genes, but the way they are currently being used.
Breaking the Cycle
GMOs today are made to be non-reproductive. This means that farmers cannot save seeds for subsequent harvests and are thus locked into buying more seed from the companies supplying them. Seeds have been used as carriers of agriculture for centuries before this, and for the first time a farmer is forced to be dependent on external factors. This breaks a renewable cycle and forces farmers into a cycle of debt. This also promotes mono cropping, preventing new varieties from developing.
Toxic Chemical Use
GM crops are made to be resistant to the pesticides sold by the companies that made them. The pesticides are made from harmful chemicals that kill every other plant or pest around them. Weeds and pests also slowly develop resistance to the pesticide, which causes companies to release increasingly potent versions. The residue from these pesticides are often left behind in the food made from GM crops which is a major health concern.
Biopiracy
Biopiracy is when companies file patents on genetic traits that occur in plants, preventing their use without paying royalty to the company. This means that farmers that save and use their own seeds are still forced to pay companies if the crop has similar genetic traits to the ones they hold patents under. They are also liable to lawsuits even if a a crop gets pollinated from a GMO using neighbour.
Losing Indigenous Knowledge
By promising better yields, GM crops have caused a lot of people to forget their indigenous knowledge. There is a stunning amount of biodiversity available that can be utilized to solve a problem. Not too long ago, people had a deeper connection with their land and inherently understood how to address issues within it. For example, if a plant had a problem with a certain type of pest, farmers would know what to grow next to it that would kill the pests themselves or attract an animal or insect that did.
The way GMOs are being used now is fuelled by greed and only benefits corporations that are negligent of the adverse impact on the environment or human livelihoods on their pursuit of even more wealth.
Awareness
While a lot of people these days are more aware of the problems caused by how GMOs are used, a majority of farmers are still convinced they are superior to their local food crops. The first step in addressing the issue is making more farmers aware of how GMOs are being exploited for commercial gain by multinational corporations.
Participatory Plant Breeding
Participatory Plant Breeding was introduced to be a dynamic collaboration between scientists and farmers that unified traditional knowledge with modern methodologies. It involves farmers in the production of seeds, putting them in the center of a system that changes the relationship between release and adoption of crops.
The PPB team consists of breeders, scientists, social economists and anthropologists. They conduct studies on crops with superior genetic traits that are chosen by farmers who determine what is selling at the markets and what they want to grow. The best performing crops are then released to farmers to save, use, exchange or sell.
The PPB clients are farmers, small seed companies, consumers, NGOs and market specialists. It creates a direct relationship with seed producers and gives farmers the control they never had. It exists as a decentralized transparent breeding program that allows for the creation of variability while utilizing genetic modification.
Opinions on genetic modification are often divided into black and white. This system finds a balance and shows the good aspects of GM can be utilized while maintaining fair share policies. We wouldn't be having such a big GMO backlash if Monsanto adopted this system which could be a start as a possible solution to our problems with GMOs.
I was inspired by the course on agroecology at Navdanya, where I learnt about the PPB program and thought I could spread some awareness through creating art. I made these posters to highlight the difference between traditional seed use and how GMOs are being used now. I also made posters to aid a campaign by Navdanya in 2014 to prevent a patent on bananas.
Navdanya used these posters for their campaign and I was thrilled that my art could be used to facilitate positive change and maybe bring about awareness on the issues we face. These images can also be found on their facebook page and behance.
