Great Zimbabwe University Agriculture Research Council Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO): Are our fears justified? Public Lecture Great Zimbabwe University 18 October 2011 Evelyn Garwe Agriculture Research Council

Questions addressed What are GMOs? What are their benefits What are their negative effects to mankind and the environment? What should we believe?

Initial analysis In general, public opinion concerning GMOs is extremely negative and blown out of proportion from the actual effects. Further, public opinion towards GMOs differs across geographical and cultural boundaries

Some facts GMOs have been widely cultivated since 1997, currently over 60 million Ha are grown worldwide. No adverse effects on human health have been scientifically recorded in commercialised GM foods, although there have been unconfirmed reports from various sources.

BACKGROUND Food and feed are derived from plants and animals grown and bred for several thousand years Over time these plants and animals have undergone genetic changes, those with the most desirable xristics were selected for breeding the next generation Scientific advancement has now made it possible to modify genetic material using modern gene transfer technologies

BACKGROUND CONT’D Genes which cause expression of desirable traits are selected from one org (bacteria, plant or animal) & transferred into another, to alter its genetic material (DNA) & produce desirable Xristics All orgs modified in such a way are called GMOs The food/feed which contains/consists such GMOs or are produced from GMOs is called GM food/feed Orgs to which foreign genes are introduced by genetic methods are referred to as transgenic

RECAP What are GMOs & GM foods? GMOs are orgs in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. The technology is often called “modern biotech” or “gene technology”, sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or “genetic engineering”. It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, also between non-related species. GM foods originate from GMOs (transgenic orgs)

GM vs. Selective breeding Traditional methods GM slow very fast imprecise precise modification of genes that naturally occur in the organism can introduce genes into an organism that would not occur naturally!

Categories of GM food Transgenic plant food product e.g. GMO tomato which has strong preservability Transgenic animal food product e.g. transgenic pork from fast growing pigs – high quality Transgenic MO food product e.g. cheese -renin produced outside calf body thus avoiding mass killing of calves and reducing cost Special transgenic food product e.g. greens & fruits containing edible vaccines against diseases e.g. cholera. Enjoy fruit/veg & prevent disease

Social/Environmental Impact Benefits Easing of World Hunger Devpt of crops that can be grown in marginal soil Fast growing animals Reduced strain on non renewable resources Devpt of drought resistant crops Salt tolerant crops Crops that make more efficient use of nitrogen & other nutrients Reduced use of pesticides and herbicides Devpt of pest resistant crops Reduced herbicide use is better for the environment & reduces costs for farmers Results in significant increase in crop yields

Benefits Improved crop quality Improved nutritional quality Frost resistant crops Disease resistant crops Flood resistant crops Improved nutritional quality Foods designed to meet specific nutritional goals e.g. leaner meat, added vitamins/minerals e.g. reduce # of children at risk for Vitamin-A-deficiency-induced blindness (i.e. Golden Rice) In the face of global warming and climate change, only the more robust crops will manage to survive and thrive.

Benefits Crops Animals Enhanced taste and quality Reduced maturation time Increased nutrients, yields, and stress tolerance Improved resistance to disease, pests, and herbicides New products and growing techniques Animals Increased resistance, productivity, hardiness, and feed efficiency Better yields of meat, eggs, and milk Improved animal health and diagnostic methods

Benefits Environment Society "Friendly" bioherbicides and bioinsecticides Conservation of soil, water, and energy Bioprocessing for forestry products Better natural waste management More efficient processing Society Increased food security for growing populations

Potential Risks Environmental harm Effects on non-target spp (e.g. Monarch butterfly) Inevitable out-crossing of transgenic plants with naturally occurring ones leading to creation of super-weeds creating potential future need for even greater pesticide use Irreversible disruption of the Earth’s biosphere Monoculture problem - loss of flora and fauna biodiversity

Potential Risks Economic/Political Consolidation of control over food production (Monsanto’s “terminator seed”) Threat to organic farmers What does the lax regulation process imply for future technologies?

Potential Risks Health Safety Negative change in Nutritional Content Allergenic potential: the splicing of different types of plants could cause allergies (ex: peanut) to spread among many food types Possible Illness antibiotic resistance: the genes that are added to the crops to resist insects can cause resistance to common antibiotics, including penicillin and ampicillin Creation of biological weapons.

Potential Risks Personal/Axiological Impacts Personal appreciation/understanding (Will this change the way we think about food?) Religious/Moral Issues Lack of authority in our lives/individual choice Access and Intellectual Property/Society Domination of world food production by a few companies and developing countries.

Potential Risks Ethics Labeling “Playing God” - Violation of natural organisms' intrinsic values Tampering with nature by mixing genes among species Objections to consuming animal genes in plants and vice versa Labeling Not mandatory in some countries Mixing GM crops with non-GM confounds labeling attempts

Undefined Risks? GM foods are for profit According to its opponents, GM foods were created for profit and nothing else. They believe that these multinational giants e.g. Monsanto, a pioneer in GM research are unlikely in the GM business for purely noble reasons.  DNA is actually not well understood. 97% of human DNA is called ‘junk’ because scientists do not know its function. The workings of a single cell are so complex, no one knows the whole of it. Other unknown effects

Analysis of fears versus real facts Consumer fears Real impact Chemical interaction with living things Very small, but targeting a pest with any method, biological or chemical, without side effect is possible cause of problem. (Dale et al. 2002) Change in persistence or invasiveness of the crop Small with current case-by-case assessment of GM crops, with relevant underpinning research. (Dale et al. 2002) Gene flow by pollination to weeds and feral plants Some possible modifications in GM crops, such as salt tolerance or cold tolerance, actually produce novel crop types whose impact on the environment will need to be assessed with particular care. (Dale et al. 2002)

Analysis of fears versus real facts Consumer fears Real impact Reduced efficiency of pest, disease, & weed control Smaller risk than with the use chemical control. (Dale et al. 2002) Effect on wildlife biodiversity Risk not higher than with conventional agric. (Dale et al. 2002) Effect on soil & water by the increased use of herbicides due to GM herbicide tolerant crops Decrease in herbicide use in the US after the introduction of GM soybean. (Dale et al. 2002) Introduction of allergenes Negligible with current methods

Which way do we go? The risks vs benefits of GM food are not an easy issue to settle. There is definitely an urgent need for increasing food production & GM foods seem to be in the best position to address this need. In the short-term, GM foods are probably the solution to food shortage. Currently, there is not enough scientific evidence to support the possible risks of GM foods. However, like in most things new and innovative, the long-term benefits and adverse effects can only be speculated upon. Even the best computer models can only make guesses. Does that mean we should adapt a “wait-and-see” stance? This, however, is also a dangerous position to take because some effects are only seen and detected when irreversible damage has already been done. Responsibility should be on the scientists, the health authorities, and the industries to act responsibly and to be as transparent as possible.