ISLAMABAD: Using Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to help crops withstand droughts and other extreme conditions is nearsighted unless the health of the soil is ensured.

This was stated by agriculture and environmental expert Khan Faraz while addressing a roundtable conference.

He further said seeds designed to thrive in specific local conditions have been developed for centuries through conventional breeding, by crossing together plants with relevant characteristics and selecting the desired offspring.

But as more severe weather creates hostile growing conditions for conventional seeds, multinational companies are promoting GMOs as more efficient. And newer technologies can reduce development times for these heartier varieties "by many years" compared with traditional crop modification techniques.

Faraz said that genetically modified crops will be necessary to produce enough food for a growing population on a warming planet. However, it is just really effective smoke screen put on by the pesticide and seeds conglomerates to put a good face on this new technology.

In July, the World Economic Forum highlighted the potential for GMOs to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating breeds that remove more carbon dioxide than conventionally grown crops. Many American growers favor GMO options because, while more costly, they require less human labor. Currently, more than 90 percent of the corn, cotton, and soybeans grown in the United States is genetically modified to withstand herbicides and/or insects, according to US government figures.

“In view of the above, using GMOs to help crops withstand droughts and other extreme conditions is "nearsighted" unless the health of the soil is ensured. Agricultural practices such as rotating crops, limiting chemical inputs and reducing soil tillage, leads to healthier soil able to retain more water and this is a strategy to mitigate climate change,” Khan Faraz added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022