The UN’s annual World Water Development Report, published last March, warned that unless the balance between demand and supplies is restored, the world will face a “global water deficit” of 40 per cent by 2030. Two weeks ago, protesters in hundreds of cities in 38 countries rallied against agricultural research giant Monsanto’s genetically modified plant seeds. What do these seemingly disparate events have in common? The first issues an urgent call for action crucial to the future of mankind. The second denounced one of the most promising ways of avoiding that impending crisis.
The UN report states that “making water-intensive sectors more efficient” is the only way of restoring supply-demand balance. The most water-intensive sector, by a huge margin, is agriculture. Not only do Monsanto’s drought-resistant seeds need less water, they also require less fertilizer, thereby reducing the weed-nourishing runoff that pollutes lakes, rivers and streams.
The world scientific community is strongly supportive of genetic seed technology. The American Association for the Advancement of Science states, “Biotechnology is safe.” The French Academy of Sciences agrees: “All criticism against GMOs [genetically modified organisms] can largely be rejected on scientific criteria.” The national science academies of Germany, India and China as well as Britain’s Royal Society share the same view. And the World Health Organization states, “No effects on human health problems have been shown as a result of the consumption of GM foods.” This statement comes after trillions of GMO-grown meals have been eaten over the past 15 years.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion and analysis. Read full, original post: GMO foods offer most promising way to address global water shortages
