Let’s Talk About Hybrid Seeds and GMOs
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and hybrid seeds are common around the world nowadays. They are replacing the natural local seeds. Mass people’s ideas on GMOs and hybrid seeds have two significant sides. On the one hand, many people receive these manipulations over seeds and foods positive because they have increased the production rates that is extensively needed nowadays and on the other side the aged people complain these manipulated foods are not tasty and lack of nutrition. Many recent studies show that the nutrient content in many of the nation’s main food crops has dramatically decreased over the last century.
For example, a study shows calcium in broccoli has decreased by more than 50% since the 1940s. The protein in wheat, barley, and corn has decreased by 40%. Since these hybrid plants produce high yields of larger fruits and vegetables, more nutrient rich fertilizers must support their growth, resulting in more nutritional losses. Raspberries, for example, when fertilized with large amounts of phosphates, will produce double the yield, yet their mineral content decreases by 20–30%.
Our grocery stores are packed with an abundance of big, beautiful fruits and vegetables, but their nutritional value has never been lower. And don’t forget the taste. It isn’t on the high priority list for creating hybrid varieties for mass production.
Since seeds from heirloom plants can be harvested and planted year after year, a farmer or gardener never has to buy those seeds again. It’s the ultimate sustainable agriculture practice. GMOs and hybrid seeds involve patent issues. Farmers are compelled to buy these from the companies. The government agencies have been playing a role of a local office of these companies by promoting and selling hybrid and GMOs seeds and foods in many developing countries.
For example, Bangladesh is the first country in the world to approve the commercial planting of BT (Bacillus Thuringiensis) brinjal. Agricultural officials of government distributed BT brinjal seeds to farmers and said these are pests protected. Paper reports show that many farmers faced problems with BT brinjal as these did not grow up well and come under attack by pests.
Activists around the country protested BT brinjal. In response the Agricultural Minister asked whether the anti-GMOs activists were receiving money from the insecticide manufacturers. What I like to mention here, the both sides are not taking BT brinjal in their diet. It is the farmer and mass people who are most at risk with this BT brinjal and not aware of the positive and negative sides of GMOs.
We hear the positive sides of the GMOs and hybrid. Here, I am not rejecting these sides. But I want to raise a question how safe Genetically modified foods are. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) asked the physician to recommend patients to avoid GM foods on the basis of several animal studies that show severe health risks associated with GM foods, including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and change in major organs.
Food and Agricultural Administration (FDA) of the USA allowed GMOs in food without labelling. But earlier, FDA scientists had repeatedly warned that GM foods can create unpredictable, hard to detect side effects, including allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems and urged for long-term studies. But they were ignored. My question is why?
It is needed to study how big companies are involved with this GMOs. I believe in modern days, a sovereign nation must have control over its water, seeds and fuel rights and securities. These decide how sovereign the nation is. GMOs and hybrid seeds are not only related to health and nutrition but sovereignty.
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