GM/Green RevolutionBryan, Dharini, Karthik & Li Yong

Leading Questions What is the Green Revolution?

Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between 1943 and the late 1970s, that increased industrialized agriculture production in India; however, the yield increase has also occurred world wide.

Leading Questions What does it mean for crops and animals to

be genetically modified? Genetic modification changes the genes and thereby the

characteristics of the subject. You can, for example, genetically modify strawberries so that they stay fresh for longer, and rice can be genetically modified so that it has a higher vitamin content. When a scientist genetically modifies a plant, they insert a foreign gene in the plant's own genes. This might be a gene from a bacterium resistant to pesticide, for example. The result is that the plant receives the characteristics held within the genetic code. Consequently, the genetically modified plant also becomes able to withstand pesticides.

Leading Questions What are the various pros and cons of

genetically modifying crops and animals? Pros:

Enhances nutrition and quality of life for people all around the world.

Enables crops to taste better and contain more nutrients whilst decreasing growing time.

Enables organisms to develop a greater resistance to diseases, pests and chemicals.

Benefits societies owing to improved food security for burgeoning populations.

Leading Questions What are the various pros and cons of genetically

modifying crops and animals? Cons:

The potential risk to human health; allergens, antibiotic resistance and possible development of chronic and terminal illness after years of exposure.

Issue of Ethics, where we are tampering with nature by mixing genes among and across species; ‘playing God’.

Bureaucratic food regulation authorities might complicate identification of genetically-modified food for the consumer, hence impacting consumer choice.

Essay Question 1Does the modern world place too much reliance on technology?

Assumptions Technology is equally available to

everyone Over-reliance on technology is a

problem The modern world is currently relying on

technology

Disagree! The modern world has placed reliance

on technology but it cannot be said to be over-reliance because its use can be justified.

P1: Companies are set-up to produce technology (equipment, etc)

P2:  There are cost savings through usage of technology

C1: Revenue is generated through the production of technology

P4: If measures are being taken to overcome problems due to over reliance on technology, it is likely that the shortcomings have been recognised.

P5: Measures are being taken to overcome problems due to over-reliance on technology

C2: It is likely that the shortcomings of over-reliance on technology have been recognised (e.g. Environmental awareness and conservation efforts- Kyoto Protocol ratified by 191 countries)

P6: There is a problem of starvation in third world countries and problem of food-wastage in first-world countries

P7: People are trying to divert crop-wastage in the first-world countries to third-world countries.

C3: Technology reduces inequality

Agree! Yes, the world is placing too much of an

emphasis and reliance on technology, for example, movements like the Green Revolution made farmers reliant on modern methods like pesticides, and expensive farming tools that deprived poor farmers of the ability to keep up with farmers which made use of technology to reduce cost of production of agricultural goods and whom thus earned more. In addition such movements also caused more environmental harm.

Science can be good or bad, depending on how one looks at it. The Green Revolution, for example, is not without its detractors, who argue that it promoted overuse of water, pesticides and chemical fertilizers, making poor farmers dependent on these inputs and in some cases seriously damaging the environment in the process.  For example Chemical Giants like Monsanto, which also own seed companies, produce GM crops that are resistant to insecticides in order to encourage the use of insecticides, by promising increased crop yield caused from less crop damage due to pests. While the use of insect resistant crop seeds does increase crop yield, it simultaneously encourages an increase in pesticide use, and an overall accumulation of chemicals in the soil, slowly destroying all present nutrients in the soil. This harms the environment in the long term as there will no longer be nutrients in the soil for plants.

P1: There is too much reliance of technology if humans cannot cease the use of technology.

P2:  In the use of pesticide resistant GM crops, the use of pesticides are encouraged.

P3: When pesticides are used, the nutrients in the soil are destroyed and natural plants are no longer able to survive.

P4: When natural plants are no longer able to survive, only pesticide-resistant plants are able to survive.

SC1(P3&P4): When pesticides are used, only pesticide-resistant plants are able to survive

SC2(SC1): Only pesticide-resistant plants are used in the long run, since they are the only plants able to survive.

P5: When only one type of plants are used for agriculture, one cannot cease the use of that plant.

C: There is too much reliance on GM pesticide-resistant crops.

P1: There is a problem with over-reliance on a particular technology if the removal of that technology affects the survival of humans.

P2: Humans need food to survive. P3: Agriculture is the main means for food to

be produced. SC1(P2&P3): Agriculture affects the survival

of humans.

P4: Removing something that affects the survival of humans causes a problem in survival.

C(P1,P4,SC1):There is a problem with over-reliance on agricultural technology.

In further elaboration of that point, firms can exploit farmers who are over-reliant on technology, and the concern is that GM crops are doing more harm than good. While the benefits of GM crops are flaunted, the disadvantages are discussed less often, for example, farmer suicides are concentrated in the Bt cotton belt, and more than 200,000 Indian farmers have committed suicide over the past decade, according to statistics from the Indian government, caused in part on accumulated farmer debt from purchasing non-renewable seeds for GM cotton that have to be bought every year, rather than naturally produced ones which can be re-used. After theGM cotton seeds arrived in the country in 2002, the price of cotton seeds jumped from Rs. 7 a bag (which covers one acre) to Rs. 1,700 a bag, (The price today is around Rs. 750.) Even though, Monsanto, the world’s leading producer in Genetically Engineered seed disagrees with the notion that Bt cotton seeds have had anything to do with the spate of farmer suicides, noting on its website that the trend began well before its cotton seeds were introduced to the market, it is clear that there is a strong correlation.

P1: The over-reliance on technology is bad if it causes the loss of human life.

P2: Farmers rely on farming for a living. P3: The price of cotton seeds jumped from Rs. 7 a

bag (which covers one acre) to Rs. 1,700 a bag, due to the arrival of GM cotton seeds.

P4: Due to the high cost of production, farmers could no longer make a living from farming.

P5: When the farmers could no longer make a living they were more likely to commit suicide.

P6: More than 200,000 Indian farmers concentrated in the cotton belt which used GM cotton seeds committed suicide over the past decade.

SC1(P2,3,4,5,6): It was likely that the arrival of GM cotton seeds caused many farmers to commit suicide.

P7:In 1989, dozens of Americans died and several thousands were afflicted and impaired by a genetically modified version of the food supplement L- tryptophan

P8: Japanese manufacturer Showa Denko did not conduct lab tests on the GM food.

SC2(P7,8): It was likely that the GM food caused the deaths.

C(SC1,SC2): The over-reliance on technology is bad.Recorded Deaths from GM: In 1989, dozens of Americans died and several thousands were afflicted and impaired by a genetically modified version of the food supplement L-tryptophan creating a debilitating ailment known as  Eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS) . Released without safety tests, there were 37 deaths reported and approximately 1500 more were disabled.  A settlement of $2 billion dollars was paid by the manufacturer, Showa Denko, Japan's third largest chemical company destroyed evidence preventing a further investigation and made a 2 billion dollar settlement. Since the very first commercially sold GM product was lab tested (Flavr Savr) animals used in such tests have prematurely died.

Essay Question 2Is effective farming possible without science?

Assumptions Effective farming is desirable. Science has aided/ contributed to

effective farming, i.e. successful yields. Science is the main method to improve

farming. Science is available to all. Farming has progressed greatly with

science.

Definitions Science: Any use of modern technology

i.e. industrial tools or modern farming methods, based on advances in science.

Effective: Successful in achieving the objectives of farming, mainly in terms of yield, sustenance (subsistence), profit (intensive) and providing livelihood for people.

Definitions Farming

Subsistence farming - a primary way for a family or a community to have food served on their table, the whole year round. It is mainly done for survival, but somehow it is vulnerable to weather changes and pests attack which could pose a problem. It uses simple tools and small amount of animals to toil the land.

Intensive farming - mass production of crops that can supply enough for a whole lot of consumers. The main reason for this type of farming is to gain profit. It uses the latest technology to grow crops and to attain optimum harvest.

Arguments

Agree (“Effective farming is possible without science”) P1: Nature and manpower in farming

are independent from modern technology and expensive farming methods.

P2: Traditional farming methods were characterised by nature and manpower. C1:Traditional farming methods are characterised by a independence from modern technology and expensive farming methods. (P1, P2)

P3:Independence from modern technology and expensive farming methods requires a significant amount of manual labour. P4: The demand for manual labour provides livelihoods to people.

C2: Traditional farming methods provide livelihoods for people. (C1, P3, P4)

P5: Providing livelihood for people is one of the main ways to be effective in farming.

C3: Therefore, traditional farming is effective. (C2, P5) P6: Traditional farming does not involve the use of scientific technology. C4:Therefore, effective farming can be done without science.(C3, P6)

Traditional Farming Using inventive self-reliance, experiential

knowledge, and locally available resources, traditional farmers have often developed farming systems with sustained yields (Harwood, 1979). Just in Latin America alone, more than two and a half million hectares under traditional agriculture in the form of raised fields, polycultures, agroforestry systems. This shows how traditional farming is sustainable with it's effectiveness.

In terms of job opportunities…

Effective. Not quite.

In terms of job opportunities… Under statistics given by the US

government, it showed that with the progression of science and technology in farming methods from 2001 onwards, there had been a steady decline of about 5% of people employed each year. This shows that with traditional farming methods, more jobs can be provided than with scientific methods or farming.

Argument 2 [Agree] P1: Science involves the usage of

pesticides, antibiotic resistant strains of crops.

P2:Usage of pesticides, antibiotic resistant strains of crops may result in crops having undesirable qualities.

C1:Science may result in crops having undesirable qualities. (P1,P2)

P3: Having undesirable qualities in crops is ineffectiveness in farming.

C2: Science may result in ineffectiveness in farming instead. (C1, P3)

P4: Unlike scientific methods, there are other methods to produce food effectively by ensuring quality.

C3:There are other methods of farming, other than science, that are effective. (C2, P4)                       

Pesticides & Other Chemicals The use of pesticides can dramatically increase crop

production and ensure a higher quality of produce. However, pesticides are also toxic chemicals designed to kill agricultural pests, and some can cause problems if they are consumed by humans in large amounts. In animal farming, drugs such as antibiotics and hormones are used to boost growth and cut down on feed requirements. Residues of these drugs can also be hazardous to humans. The level of harm from exposure to pesticides, animal antibiotics and hormones is dose related; the more you consume, the greater the potential risk.

Organic FarmingA major benefit to consumers of organic food is that it is free of contamination with health harming chemicals such as pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. As you would expect of populations fed on chemically grown foods, there has been a profound upward trend in the incidence of diseases associated with exposure to toxic chemicals in industrialized societies.

Organic Farming [cont’d] Take cancer for example. Representative data

on the number of new cancer cases in New South Wales, Australia has been collected by the New South Wales Central Cancer Registry. Adjusted to take account of our aging population, their graph (above) shows that between 1972 and 2004 the incidence of new cancer cases per year (average for both sexes) has risen from 323 to 488 per 100,000 people. This is an increase of over 50% in just 32 years.

Disagree (“Effective farming is not possible without science”) P1:Considering intensive farming, profit

is key. P2:Yield is the main factor determining

profit. C1: Therefore, high yield is key for

producers. (P1, P2)

P3: High yield farming is possible only with the advent of modern farming technology made available by science where pre-industrial yields were low and stagnant before introduction of better machines, synthetic fertilizers, improved plant and animal breeding, pesticides and, most recently, biotechnology and the huge changes these new techniques brought. C2:Therefore, effective farming is not possible without science.

Argument 2 [Disagree] P1: Bt cotton, which was first commercialized in

India in 2002 and continues to be the only type of Bt crop allowed to grow in the country. It is genetically modified.

P2: Bt introduces a gene into seeds to disrupt the bollworm insect that plagues cotton crops. By disrupting the insect that plagues cotton crops, the crop is pest-resistant crops and increase the survivability of crops in various ways. C1: Genetic modification can make crops pest-resistant and increase thair survivability.(P1, P2)

P3:With Bt cotton, India's cotton production increased from 190 million bales in 2003 to 310 million bales currently, according to Satish Kagliwal, managing director of Nath Biogene, a seed-manufacturing company in Maharashtra's Aurangabad city.

C2:Bt cotton helped increase cotton production in India.(C1, P3)

P4: An increase in production is an increase in effectiveness of farming methods. C3:Therefore, it is plainly obvious that science has made farming more effective in terms of averting crop failures.(C2, P4)

Argument 3 [Disagree] P1:Golden Rice has genes responsible for producing the

precursor of vitamin A have been inserted into rice plants, which have higher levels of vitamin A in their grain as a result.

P2: By consuming this, consumers will obtain more vitamin A in their diet. C1:Golden rice can increase the consumption of vitamin A in people’s diet. (P1, P2) P3: Increasing the consumption of vitamin A can reduce vitamin A deficiency. C2:Golden rice can reduce vitamin A deficiency. (C1, P3)

P4: Rice is a staple food for over 50% of the world’s population.

C3: The chances of people benefit from the consumption of golden rice is very high. (C2, P4)

P5: Vitamin A deficiency is a serious problem the people in the developing world have.

C4:Very likely, golden rice can help reduce a serious nutritional problem in the developing world. (C3, P5) P6: Golden rice is an incorporation of genetic modification into farming techniques.

C5: The incorporation of genetic modification into farming techniques can very likely help reduce serious nutritional problems in the developing world. (C4, P6) P7: Effective farming is when the crops produced are able to reduce the nutritional problems of the people.

C6: The incorporation of genetic modification into farming techniques makes farming effective.(C5, P7)

P8: Genetic modification is a scientific method. C7: Therefore, it is scientific methods in farming that

make farming effective. (C6, P8)

THANKS A BUNCH PEEPOL!