Genetic Modification: Pro GMO or No GMO?

Source: http://engl105062.web.unc.edu

Genetic Modification (GM) of organisms and our food is incredibly hot topic in this day and age. The internet is full to the brim with very strongly opinionated articles about why you either should or should not be for the use of GM products. These opinions are cleverly disguised as facts, and are about as useful as a chocolate teapot... Thus, as a result, through time I have had friends who are vehemently against their existence, which often lead me to lean far the opposite way in the 'for' camp. However, over the last year or so, I have found myself dwindling back in the middle again - a reason I wanted to write this post in the first place. Despite this, I've been putting it off for weeks, trying to procure legitimate facts and rid my brain of preconceptions or little sound bites I've heard. So, please, if you're firmly in one camp or another, I ensure that you will benefit from reading further and understanding both the pros and cons, and extending that olive branch to your "GM-emies" (*cough* enemies *cough*) to finally end the disdain you feel... Otherwise, if you're in an argument with a strict "yes or no"-er, you can now have the upper hand of knowledge!

So, what's the deal with GM? Genetic Modification is when a species' genetic material (either DNA or RNA) has been altered in some way that is not specific to that organism, for example, through the switching on or off of certain characteristics within the genome, or by transferring genes from one organism to another (including different species). Regardless of the potential pros of this recent technology, there are strong public concerns over its safety within food production, and fear of its damage to human health, the environment and economies. A lot of these worries appear to stem from the prevalence of multi-billion agricultural biotechnology company, Monsanto, whose patents on a large proportion of crop seeds grants them a great deal of control and power over what we eat. This is undoubtedly a worrying matter. However, others seem to focus more on the safety of the food itself, as opposed to the inequality in its distribution or ownership... Despite this, the UN say that as a planet who are currently facing a huge crisis in terms of food security and malnutrition, we cannot justify ignoring the use of Genetic Modified Organisms (GMOs) in our food. So, is there anything wrong with GM food, or is it just in the wrong hands?

Source: www.livinglimitlessly.com

For / Pros / Yea

Productivity:

• Crops can be genetically modified to become more resistant to certain stress factors, such as pests, weather conditions (e.g. drought or frost), and disease, making it less likely for their yields to fail. In some cases, this can increase the overall yield of crops and increase their adaptability to climate change and other environmental stress, which would provide more food globally, and ensure improved food security in the future. Additionally, this can pave the way for increased efficiency and future research in improving crops through GM methods.
• For animals, genetic modification has the potential to increase milk yields in cows, which can reduce the amount of dairy cattle needed, which in turn reduces their devastating impact on the environment, as described here.

Environment:

• GM crops can decrease the environmental destruction caused by chemical and industrial practices. For example, crops modified to be resistant to pests and disease dramatically reduce the amount of pesticides used on them. A study (conducted between 1996 and 2002) determining the environmental impact of pesticide use concluded that a reduction of 503 million kilograms led to a decreased direct carbon footprint of 18.7%, including an equivalent reduction in GHG emissions from 11.9 million cars (compared to the mass of CO₂). 
• The ability to produce more food on less agricultural land due to the increased productivity potential of GM crops. This reduces the need to cultivate new land.
• Additionally, we are able to rehabilitate degraded land, which again decreases the need to cultivate new land. This is achievable either through the introduction of organisms modified to increase soil quality and provide nutrients, or through the use of crops resistant to harsh conditions, such as drought or degradation.
• This available land can be used to create bio-fuels, modified to efficiently provide a lot of energy, whilst simultaneously reducing the need for fossil fuels. 
• Increase the shelf life of food products, and in turn reducing the vast volumes of global food waste, which currently equates to approximately a third of all food!

Health:

• By the transfer of genes into crops, we have the potential to insert certain nutritional characteristics that may benefit consumers. Golden rice is an example of this, where the gene that encourages the production of vitamin A was transferred into certain rice crops. This advantage can decrease vitamin A deficiency, a condition that can lead to blindness, disease and death, and is prevalent in developing countries.
• The existence of GMOs allow us to experiment with medicines and vaccines, which can potentially save many lives and lead to become a more medically advanced society.
• They also enable us to learn more about certain diseases with carry genetic material.
• Lastly, we can identify certain allergens in food and organisms, thus leading to improved methods of prevention and possibly eradication.

Source: http://makeena.com

Against / Cons / Nay

Socio-Economic:

• As mentioned previously, the ownership of certain GM crop seeds (often within the private sector) decreases farmers' capability to exist independently, and often runs them out of business. The idea of large companies dominating the market, and selling farmers' crops back to them at extortionate prices creates a monopoly in the market.
• This issue also affects the freedom of researchers, which is lost due to the ownership of property, and can reduce the speed in which research is developed.
• The well-known "terminator" feature of GM crops, stopping crop from reproducing the following season naturally, is designed to prevent the crossing of GM seeds with non-GM seeds, which can lead to complications described below. However, it also means that farmers cannot save seeds from one season to the next, and have little choice but to buy new ones again (likely at high prices).

Environment:

• It is a possibility that the genes through one GM species could be transferred unexpectedly to another through "gene escape". This could result in weeds developing herbicide-resistance, and thus damaging future crops. Out-crossing is heavily monitored prior to its introduction in agricultural practice, and has not yet indicated an increased risk of invasive species. However, this cannot be ruled out as a future possibility and issue.
• Unknown genetic mutations could potentially occur, with unknown consequences over future generations.
• During the modification, non-targeted (sleeper) genes should be accidentally be switched on, or equally important, active genes may be switched off, leading to unpredictable outcomes.
• The impact of GMOs on biodiversity or ecosystems is also hard to predict. For example, in the laboratory, Bt crops were shown to have a negative impact on certain butterfly species, however this was not reflected in real life.
• Additionally, the concern over insect resistance in Bt crops led experts to push for plans that require all fields containing insect-resistance crops to be accompanied by locations containing non-GM crops, to ensure insect biodiversity is maintained.
• GM crops aren't only a threat to animals, but also to crop biodiversity, either through the competition or crossing of these with wild species.

Health:

• A risk is the possible transfer of genes containing allergens into other crops, which may be a danger to allergy sufferers.
• There may be unapproved genetically modified food available on the market, which will require strict regulations and governance.
• Similarly to eating meat, GM foods have the potential to transfer resistance of antibiotics to humans (and livestock) which would make us highly susceptible to bacterial diseases, and may lead to increased deaths.

So, what do you think now? Yea or Nay? Please leave your opinions in the comments about where you think you are, and we can all have a gruelling debate! Even if you're still in the middle... Or if you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to ask!

Source: www.civilbeat.com

(RE)Solutions to Reduce Future Climate Vulnerability in Food Systems

Source: www.wholebodyreboot.com

It is clear that one of the main issues we face when ensuring global food security is climate change. Therefore, it seems obvious that our main solution here is reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, switching to renewable sources of energy, adapting more sustainable agricultural practices, et cetera. As mentioned in other previous posts, we would benefit to staving off red meats and switching to more plant-based diets, as well as highly reducing our waste of food, and even our consumption. However, it's all well and good to say these things coming from a western perspective, where everything is readily available... Yet, most of our food is often grown abroad. Especially staple goods, like rice and wheat. It may be easy for us to switch these parts of our society, but it's not that simple for others developing nations, who rely on selling off rainforests for agricultural land (like in Amazonian countries), vast fossil fuel industries (like China) and large industries that need to increase their GDP at the expense of exploiting their workers. Things aren't always as black and white as they seem... But as privileged people, we should be doing more.

As mentioned in a few previous posts, food security is characterised by three main pillars: access, availability and utilisation. Therefore, to reduce vulnerability to external factors, such as climate change, conflict, disease and the likes, we need to ensure that we achieve security in all of these individual sects.

Availability

Gregory et al. (2005) believe that boosting production is our solution to increasing availability of food. Although this is difficult to dispute, they interpret this as increasing intensification of agricultural production, cultivating new agricultural land, increasing widespread use of chemical inputs (fertilisers, pesticides, etc.) and furthering development of genetically modified crops (which will be discussed in further detail next time).  Contrarily, the FAO disagree by stating that we need to move forward with "climate-smart" methods of agriculture. To be fair, we cannot expect nations to switch to sustainable practice, if they have not been educated or encouraged to do so. Therefore, we must campaign to reduce government subsidies that push small farmers to engage in unsustainable practices, and educate the globe about how to integrate pest management and boost yields with minimal fertilisers. Additionally, we need to increase international funding for the adaptation and mitigation of climate change for developing nations, as presented in the COP21 agreement, to reduce future global food insecurity.

Access

Poverty and infrastructure are two key elements impacting global access to food, which both boil down to economies and available money. Gregory et al. (2005) comment that we need to improve food distribution, such as enhancing transport infrastructure and political agreements that circulate food faster in cases of emergency, as well as increase economic access to food by introducing policies that cut out middle men, lowering price of production, encouraging economic growth and providing political stability. The latter point (to increase economic access) contradicts the ideas put forward for improving availability, as industrial practices reduce agricultural employment, increase production costs, and reduce GDP per capita. Thus, to improve access, we must introduce more sustainable and local agricultural practices, that serve local communities. In respect to improving transportation, this can indeed certainly be said for developing countries, however possibly less so for developed nations, who should in turn be working hard to reduce their carbon footprints within the transport sector, and instead look to grow and import food more locally.

Utilisation

Defined as the "appropriate use based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care", utilisation refers to the education of its users and producers. Thus, to increase security in food utilisation, our main priority must be to educate farmers, producers and consumers in sustainable and secure practices, healthy and environmentally-friendly eating, and the reduction of food waste.


In short, it's incredibly difficult to gauge how to best increase future food security, and one that policy-makers have found challenging for decades. In a world where individuals focus on gaining personal profit at the expense of others, and environmental degradation is a "future matter", it's hard to see everything for what it truly is, instead of how it may appear... As westerners, our smart phones are often made out of conflict materials, our clothes made through slave labour, our electricity provided at the expense of suffocating smog, GHG emissions and pollution, our food processed beyond recognition, and our wars that serve agendas to be seen fighting the "war on terror". We have it so easy, yet it is never enough... So, to really reduce your impact, think about what you need, why you need it, and how best to obtain it ethically and environmentally...

The Role of Climate, Conflicts and Economies on Future Food Security

Source: The Guardian

Climate change is undoubtedly one of the most pressing issues of our time, and will continue to worsen if our attitudes fail to change quickly. As discussed in a previous post, food insecurity is amongst our greatest concerns when it comes to climate change, with the potential to leave millions in food poverty and increased deaths. Some models predict that we have the capacity to produce enough food for the global population over the next 20 to 30 years, while others contest these claims, stating that climatic variations may see a net decline in major cereals, such as corn, wheat and rice, over the next 20 years. Despite this, multiple studies agree that our ability to expand production is slowly diminishing, as intensification and exploitation of resources reach their limits.

Diverse regions across the world face variable levels of food systems vulnerability due to the different physical, social and economic abilities to cope with climate change. Alongside the direct causes, like change in weather patterns, many indirect also causes play havoc with the future of global food security, such as disease, poverty and politics.

On the contrary, it’s not all bad news for everybody over the globe, as some areas may soon start to enjoy social and economic growth as a result of climate change…

Climatic Impact on Food Security

Source: http://i.imgur.com

With increasing global temperatures brings great changes in regional climates and weather patterns. Take, for example, the high temperatures and increased precipitation we have experienced this winter, leading to mass flooding and social devastation. In terms of food production, tropical and subtropical regions are highly in danger of decreased food security due to a rising risk of drought. It is estimated that many countries across these regions could receive less than the minimum 120 days necessary to produce sufficient cereal crop yields, plunging already typically vulnerable countries into economic decline. The increasing occurrence of El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events are thought to be related to enhanced dry spells, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. This implies that this region is likely to be the most at risk of hunger and food insecurity in upcoming years. Additionally, with heightened chance of drought, decreased precipitation and increased evaporation comes greater risk of water scarcity, which is forecasted to affect 5 billion people by 2025.

Although, these projections are largely based upon models and assumptions, which do not take into consideration the likelihood of technological development, adaptation strategies, international support, and political attitudes to climate change, which may see some of these regions less affected than predicted.

Interestingly, a majority of countries located in the temperate and arctic climates (mainly in the northern hemisphere) will experience an approximate 9% gain in arable land suitable for agriculture. This expansion will mainly be observed across Russia, North America, Central Asia and northern Europe, seeing respective boosts in local economies and availability of food. Despite this, it is postulated that, on the global scale, food reserves will remain relatively the same. So, this does not solve the distribution problem effectively! Additionally, this prediction of increased agricultural land in these regions does not take heavily into account the potential for unprecedented occurrences to take place, such as natural hazards, flooding/waterlogging, conflict or political instability.

Other Impacts on Food Security

However, as discussed above, climate is not a single deterministic factor of food security. Although it is the most quoted, many countries, such as Least Developed Countries (LDCs), struggle to cope with sudden shocks and variations due to a lack of infrastructure, financing, skilled labourers, and much more. The resulting issue tends to increase with heightened instability of external factors, instead of just climate change itself. For example, despite Europe, USA and eastern Australia having an incredibly high human threat to water security due to severe drought, climatic variations and detrimental agricultural practices, their ability to cope is high, as they are technologically and economically equipped to manage. (This demonstrated in the image below).

Source: Vörösmarty et al., 2010

Poverty is the most obvious aggravating factor, as it can lead to reduced technological capability, poor social infrastructure (housing, transport, etc.) and increased risk of disease. With food security reliant upon availability, access and utilisation, these characteristics are highly pertinent. To illustrate, lack of efficient transportation reduces access to food from outside regions (which is particularly concerning in the face of an environmental or social emergency), lack of trained agriculturalists or labourers impacts the quality and availability of food, and lack of economic security increases hunger and food poverty. Additionally, approximately half of all malnutrition is caused by non-food related aspects, such as HIV/AIDs and malaria, which are amplified by increasing global temperatures, and are often located in LDCs. That really is the icing on top of a shit-filled cake…

To add insult to injury, political alliances also have a huge part to play in the battle for food security. Alliances with countries who are well-equipped to deal with climate change, such as North America, Europe and Australia, may be ensured aid, safety and refuge in potentially dark times head, whereas less-economically developed countries may find themselves marginalised and left to fend for themselves (despite statistically contributing a whole lot LESS to global warming). Additionally, these political alliances can become vastly unpredictable, particularly during the current “war on terror”, born almost immediately after the 9/11 attacks in 2001, which continues to deconstruct and rebuild new political affiliations on a regular basis.
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AHHH! The voice is my head is almost screaming as I write… Which factors do you see as the most damaging to future food security? Climate change? Economic stability? Political stability? Health? Something completely different? Or a mixture of certain factors? Let me know in the comments!

Happy New Year AND 2000 Views! Have a Cookie

Hello all, I hope you had a wonderful New Year, and are still feeling as terrible as I am! Today also calls for another reason to celebrate... The Global Hot Potato has just reached over 2000 views!!! What better way to celebrate than with an absolutely, mouth-wateringly indulgent vegan, dark chocolate cookie recipe?!?!

OK... So it's not perfect in terms of environment sustainability... Chocolate isn't locally sourced, neither is coconut oil... BUT... It's a hell of a lot more environmentally friendly than buying chocolate bars or pre-packaged sweets... It's also cheaper in the long run, and more rewarding! I encourage you to select fair trade ingredients only! And no dairy products included, which gives us extra brownie points...


Vegan, Dark Chocolate Cookie Recipe

Ingredients
(makes ~20)

110 g (or 1/2 cup) coconuit oil
100 g (or 1 cup) soft (light) brown sugar
50 ml (or 1/4 cup) almond/soy milk (water if neither)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
250 g (or 2 cup) plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
120 - 150 g (1 cup) dark chocolate (chopped) - check to see if it contains milk products!!

Additional:
Baking parchment

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C (fan oven) or 350F/320F (fan oven)
2. Mix the coconut oil and brown sugar together in a large bowl until creamed.
3. Now add the almond milk and vanilla extract, until mixed well. The mixture should be quite wet.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour with the baking soda and baking powder.
5. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet one, until well combined. After this, add in the roughly chopped chocolate chips, and any other additions of your choice (e.g. hazelnuts, cinnamon, fruit, etc.) and mix together.
6. Use a tablespoon to scoop out balls from the mixture, roll them in your hands gently to form a sphere, and then place them on baking parchment (on a tray). Then, flatten the balls with your hands, and ensure there is a lot of distance between each one. (I do about 3 batches with 2 separate baking trays - each with 5 cookies on).
7. Bake for about 10 mins - check after 7 to see how they're doing. Ensure that they're not too squishy before taking out. Sometimes my cookies needed 15 mins - use your judgement! (REMEMBER: cookies will harden when removed from the oven, so don't over-bake!!!)
8. ENJOY! :)

Modelling Spotlight on Sustainable Agriculture: SOL-m

Source: www.sojourneyfarm.com

Before we conclude the impact of agriculture on the environment (and say a hearty farewell to 2015!), I will quickly enlighten you with a dash of the modelling of sustainable agriculture, in particular, Sustainability and Organic-Livestock Modelling (SOL-m). The research of this study was published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation in 2013, and was designed to assess the environmental impacts of converting current livestock production systems into smaller, less resource intensive ones, with sustainable management of organic materials.

The model itself compares the effects of multiple production scenarios on land use and degradation, greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential, nutrient flow, availability of food, consumption of fossil fuels, impact on biodiversity and more. It was constructed using conditional projections for food supply, food demand, and their interaction over time, by assessing available resources, land, human population, nutritional requirements and consumer choices. From here, environmental and social policy was also taken into consideration, and used linear programming to optimise each production scenario with respect to certain targets. 

The different scenarios investigated within the context of this study were:

• Scenario 1: baseline for 2050 (as predicted by FAO), alongside projections for population rate, dietary trends, expected yields, etc. Livestock feed was assumed to be remain consistent.
• Scenario 2: modelled a 50% decrease in concentrated feed, and measured number of livestock sufficient to give at least as many calories as Scenario 1.
• Scenario 3: the same as Scenario 2, but assumes no consumption of concentrates in livestock feed.
• Scenario 4: predicted conversion to organic livestock production, including organically produced feed concentrates. Again, measuring livestock to give at least as many calories as Scenario 1.
• Scenario 5: a combination of Scenarios 3 and 4 - a complete conversion to organic livestock farming, whilst omitting all concentrate in livestock feed.

The results concluded that Scenario 1 could not sustain a planet projected to reach a population of 9.6 billion by 2050 whilst still maintaining quality in the environment. In Scenarios 2 and 3, the model calculated substantial increases in food availability and security, whilst reducing environmental damage caused by deforestation and land degradation. This trend improved with higher reduction in livestock feed concentrates. Interestingly, although Scenario 4 measured significant decreases in greenhouse gas emissions and toxic material flow, it also predicted a lack of available food implying a need for more agricultural land (a finite resource). However, Scenario 5 yielded the best result, showing a positive results across the majority of environmental effects measured, suggesting that organic farming and diminished concentrate in livestock feed are two major factors necessary to achieve sustainable agriculture.

Open Your Eyes: Sustainable Agriculture

Over the last few weeks, we have explored the largely damaging impacts of industrial agriculture, characterised by the exploitation of resources, large-scale single specie regimes, and high consumption of fossil fuels, pesticides and fertilisers. The destruction of this farming methodology is undeniable, from the emissions, pollution and deforestation of the livestock industry to the water depletion, desertification and toxic chemicals produced by crop production. This cannot go on indefinitely. But what can we do? Surely there are no other options?

Wrong! Sustainable agriculture is an alternative which, in its various practices, involves fulfilling present and future demands of food, water, health and ecosystem demands, whilst maximising societal benefits and environmental well-being. These systems typically focus on conserving resources, utilising natural ecosystem relationships between animals and plants, preserving biodiversity, reducing chemical inputs and incorporating renewable forms of energy. Additionally, sustainable agriculture tends to bring the consumer closer to the producer by decreasing the size of farms, distance travelled and emphasis on economic gains (that inevitably push hidden costs onto society), and in the long term sustaining healthy soil, land, communities and ecosystems.

What makes this type of agricultural more beneficial? In a world where resources and economic expansion are limited, we need to move away from our desire to drive profits, and push toward a more secure future. Sustainable agriculture tends to rely on small-scale, independent and local farms, which generate local employment, local spending and boost average incomes. Unsurprisingly, agribusinesses and farming industries are shown to do the opposite, with the core aim to turn high yields and profits at the expense of farmers, communities and the environment. These big businesses can actually be highly inefficient/ For example, despite rice farmers in Japan, Korea and Taiwan using more than 50% of all insecticides sprayed on rice globally, they yield only 2% of the Earth’s crops.

So, if sustainable agriculture benefits consumers, producers and the environment, why aren’t we doing it? Maybe the techniques used are hard to achieve? Wrong again! Here are some examples of the typical methods used by sustainable farmers:

• Rotation of two or more crops – to reduce pests, increase biodiversity and soil fertility
• Improved soil management –  by decreasing chemical inputs, and increasing organic material suitable for helpful bacteria and fungi
• Maintaining topsoil – by reducing the use of heavy machinery on the soil, this is known as tillage
• Allowing animals to graze rotationally – by relocating animals to different fields to improve soil quality, restore vegetation, and reduce high-protein feed, need for manure management and costs.
• Nitrogen management – by decreasing use of high-protein feeds, fertilisers and pesticides, farmers can effectively monitor nutrient content in soil and prevent contamination of waterways and air quality.

I don't know about you guys, but this was always my idea of how normal farms operated (until discovering the reality and widespread existence of factory farms), and I ascertain that that is how they should be! So, what do we need to do to push for more of these systems?! 

1. Raise awareness of the importance and social benefits of sustainable agriculture
2. Campaign for climate and social justice in the agricultural sector
3. Make sensible dietary choices that eliminate industrial means, i.e. opt for local, seasonal and organic produce
4. Put press on industrial farms by holding them accountable!
5. Reduce animal products, particularly from caged animals

Source: http://s.hswstatic.com

Post-Christmas Food Waste Facts and Foibles

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Food Waste - how it is recycled from RecycleNow on Vimeo.

Almost all of us waste food, whether we'd like to admit it or not. Although some items are destined for waste, like fruit peels, egg shells and meat bones, we throw away food that is perfectly edible, sometimes without realising. Here are some food waste facts, provided by Recycle Now and Love Food Hate Waste:

1. Approximately 7 million tonnes of food waste is generated in the UK each year
2. The average household wastes around £470 worth of food per year
3. The average family wastes around £700 worth of food per year
4. About half of the food wasted in the UK comes from our own homes
5. Wasting edible food contributes to 4% of the UK water footprint
6. The common food to be wasted is fresh food, such as, vegetables, fruit, bread, etc.
7. In the UK, we chuck more food in the bin than the packaging around it
8. If you throw food in the bin, the waste goes to landfills where it decomposes and releases vast stores of methane. This is equivalent to the emissions produced by 25% of cars in the UK, and thus is conducive to deadly climate change.
9. HOWEVER, food waste reduced by 1 million tonnes from 2007 and 2012. And potentially more since. If we follow France's example of retailers donating their surplus, then we can seriously make a huge impact!

Source: www.foodwastenetwork.org.uk

I thought this post to be particularly apt the day after Christmas, a day in which we engorge and spoil ourselves greatly, and consume lots of food (probably more than is necessary). This ultimately results in large quantities of waste. Although we can treat ourselves to this one day of indulgence every year, in a world where 793 million go hungry, it would the very least to ensure that we try to utilise all our leftovers. Here are a few recipes to consider before throwing away those tasty bites!

• Turkey and Potato Curry, instead of curry paste, make your own here
• Put any leftovers on your own homemade pizza
• Take a Moroccan twist with your leftovers with this Fruity Turkey Tagine
• Use your root veg to make a tasty Leftover Veg & Orange Cake
• Try a Christmas Leftover Pie
• Or, absolutely ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE!