Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food by Pamela C. Ronald & R. W. Adamchak, bring forth these somewhat controversial stances, or are they really something else? One of the authors is a genetic engineer, the other one an expert in organic agriculture. These perspectives can come together if their hypothetical relation is reevaluated and together they set out on a mission exploring new potentials and perspectives on the future (potential) need for genetically modified food.
The arguments for this are that the world's population is growing at an increasing rate. The world's assets cannot be distributed equally among its habitants, which creates the need to come up with ways to produce more food and avoiding financial difficulties that has been a problem for the market dealing with ecological food. These markets are currently being targeted by stronger markets, larger corporations and conglomerates.
If we are to believe Waldemar Ingdahl, the demand for ecological food is believed to have reached its peak. This in itself seems to be strange but considering that the market shifts and governments decide whether or not farmers are to produce more ecological provisions, the idea seems plausible. At this point in time, there is a small percentage of people who buy ecologically produced provisions and objects. The masses are either hindered due to economical problems or the fact that not all regions of the world can provide their citizens with this type of western luxury.
Ingdahl points out that institutions and organisations that are promoting ecological brands are fiercly against genetic modified agriculture. Genetics has from the start been taboo, which is strange considering the fact that chemicals have been allowed as fertilizers - so why the negativity against genetics? I see the argument as very misguided, or I might perhaps just miss Ingdahl's point.
It may have something to do with the fact that many believe that we should not alter nature. This is a fundamental aspect of this issue, although it shouldn't entirely be the only concern in this matter. The authors argue that the resistance against genetics is not good for the farmers nor the consumers. They also claim that genetics could be benifitial for ecological farming once it has been approved of. This thought is actually quite new for me since I have been negative to genetically engineered food before. I have been concerned about the potentially harmful or undocumented bi products that may be created in the process of genetically altering crops. I thought that the farmers and scientists have not been able to:
justify the means as to why genetics is needed in this area, guarantee that they are not any 'side effects' to modified crops, show that the genetically engineered crops will not force 'wild crops' into extinction, and give reasonable explanations as to why the ecological market needs genetics.
Although I am glad that I have seen this new perspective, I am still concerned about the farmers' involvement in this. I prefer local markets over other types of markets and the eco markets also have to deal with the fact that they have to move around large amounts of food and objects. Another problem is that the foundation of the GMO type of research is highly centralised - big corporations' own the patens and research and are too economically driven which means that their ethical commitments are ignored or rendered obsolete. This means that genetics will be highly beneficial for the big actors on a global market rather than the farmers on a local level. Here's a description from Amazon:
By the year 2050, Earth's population will double. If we continue with current farming practices, vast amounts of wilderness will be lost, millions of birds and billions of insects will die, and the public will lose billions of dollars as a consequence of environmental degradation. Clearly, there must be a better way to meet the need for increased food production.
Written as part memoir, part instruction, and part contemplation, Tomorrow's Table argues that a judicious blend of two important strands of agriculture--genetic engineering and organic farming--is key to helping feed the world's growing population in an ecologically balanced manner. Pamela Ronald, a geneticist, and her husband, Raoul Adamchak, an organic farmer, take the reader inside their lives for roughly a year, allowing us to look over their shoulders so that we can see what geneticists and organic farmers actually do. The reader sees the problems that farmers face, trying to provide larger yields without resorting to expensive or environmentally hazardous chemicals, a problem that will loom larger and larger as the century progresses. They learn how organic farmers and geneticists address these problems.
This book is for consumers, farmers, and policy decision makers who want to make food choices and policy that will support ecologically responsible farming practices. It is also for anyone who wants accurate information about organic farming, genetic engineering, and their potential impacts on human health and the environment.
I am still not convinced, although their agenda forced me to think in new ways, which I am grateful for. I may have to read this book some time.
Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food
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