What is all the fuss about and why do people feel so strongly about this issue regarding the Genetically Modified Crops? This Pocket "K" attempts to shed light on the controversy by addressing several basic questions about GM crops.

Plant Products of biotechnology have been available in the market for some time now. These modified crops look like their traditional counterparts, but they possess special characteristics that make them better.

GM crops have been safely introduced into the market and safely eaten in countries all over the world. The introduction of these novel foods into our diets has raised legitimate concerns about their safety.

The debate over the environmental impact of genetically modified ( GM ) crops is growing increasingly complex, intense, and extremely emotional. This pocket K attempts to shed light on this issue by addressing basic questions regarding GM crops and the environment.

In the last few years, however, there has been a consistent increase in the number of hectares being planted to GM crops in developing countries. This pocket K provides you with data and information on the economic benefits of GM crops in various countries.

Plant pests cause a lot of problems to farmers and home grdeners alike. Because of this, they have had very little resource other than to continually spray their plants with pesticides. Unfortunately, some of these pesticides pose health risks to people who are exposed to them.

 

It is for this reason that scientists are constantly looking for alternative ways of dealing with plant pests.

The debate over foods derived genetically modified (GM) crops often touches on the subject of labelling. Many consumers argue and insist on their right to know what they are eating and their right to choose.

In 1964, the first genetically modified food crop, Calgene's Flavr-Savr tomato, was produced and consumed in an industrialized country. The Cartagena Protocolon Biosafety is a legally binding global protocol that seeks to contribute to ensuring the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) created through modern biotechnology.

One of the main features of modern agricultural biotechnology (agribiotech) is its increasing proprietary nature. Unlike the agricultural sciences of the past, which came out of publicly funded labs, new biotechnologies are protected by patents and other intellectual property rights (IPRs).

Ask any farmer and he will surely tell you that weeds are a constant problem. Farmers can fight weeds with tillage, hand weeding, herbicides, or typically a combination of all techniques. Many have argued that the heavy use of herbicides has led to groundwater contaminations, the death of several wildlife species and has also been attributed to various human and animal illnesses.

The introduction of GM crops has produced significant benefits to both farmers and consumers. GM crops have minimized the use of pesticides and provided higher crop yields; consumers benefited in the form of improved quality products (e.g., canola and soybean with modified oils).
Currently, more than 80 GM crop events/lines have been approved for food and/or feed use.

Delayed Ripening (DR) Technology has been applied for use in tomatoes, melons, and papaya.An interesting application of DR technology is in floriculture where experiments are underway to apply the technology to delay the withering of flowers. In Southeast Asia, DR technology is being applied for use in papayas, a popular subsistence food and part of the general diet in the region. This technology could significantly increase the availability of this nutritious fruit to consumers and to small-scale and mostly resource poor farmers in the region