Emergence of Super Bugs/Pests, Super weeds and Loss of biodiversity.
Super Pests/Bugs
GM crops may transfer modified genes to wild plants creating the emergence of super weeds or pests that are resistant to the protective traits of the crops. For instance, genetically modified Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) crops saw the rise of new pests that weren’t affected by the BT toxin. Farmers in China used BT cotton to effectively control the cotton bollworm. However, there was an increase in the population of mired bug a pest that is not affected by the BT toxin. Consequently, farmers had to pay more to control these new pests.
Another similarly intriguing incident is that a couple of days ago, Kenyan researchers have detected a new dangerous mosquito vector dubbed ‘Anopheles Stephensi’ which is resistant to insecticides. The reason this is interesting is that a research consortium funded by Bill Gates dubbed Target Malaria has been using genetic modification approaches such as gene drive technologies to reduce the number of malaria-causing mosquitoes. Target Malaria has been releasing genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild in different African countries. So questions arise, how do we explain the new vector? Is this a new mosquito arising from the controversial ‘gene drive’ experiments? Africans have a right to know these answers because these are some of the very dangerous ‘unknowns’ that arise from these genetically modified organisms. The price may be too high to pay, because as the Kenya Medical Research Institute Acting Director General Kariuki reported, ‘the new mosquito vector spreads very fast and might reverse the gains made in eradicating malaria’. So is this new vector one with ‘supergenes’? We demand these answers.
Super weeds
At least 38 super-weed species worldwide emerged from the introduction of glyphosate-resistant crops. They use up the nutrients from the fields and they require harsher and more costly herbicides to control them. Some crops that have been eliminated by herbicide-resistant crops include the common milkweed. This loss has been linked to an 80 percent decline of the monarch butterfly, among other species, hence a loss in biodiversity.
2. Health Risks
GM products have negative health effects on humans and animals. According to the Center for Food Safety, the health risks posed by genetic engineering include toxicity, allergic reactions, antibiotic resistance, immune-suppression, Cancer and Loss of Nutrition.
3. Ethical concerns
Ethical risks in regards to patenting of life forms like seeds poses a potential for exploitation of poor farmers in developing countries. Also, the release of genetic engineered insects such as mosquitoes should have been widely consultative, since the risks were unknown. This decision should not be made by only a handful of decision makers and donors. It should be open to everyone in the entire region.
4. Economic risks.
The use of GMOs have had adverse economic effects with the high costs involved in the purchasing of seeds and the concentration of power being in the hands of a few large corporations that control the GMO seeds. Farmers in India reportedly lost their livelihoods and there was a large increase in suicide cases from these farmers. GM cotton farmers in Kenya have opted to go back to indigenous seeds, and the same happened in Haiti, where ‘the peasant league’ opted to abandon the Monsanto GM seeds.
5. Lack of Transparency.
The fact that most companies selling GM products fight the labeling of GMO food products is cause for concern and highly suspect. What are they hiding and why are they hiding this information. Consumers have every right to know what they are putting into their bodies, and what harm/benefit it may be causing them. Also, many international donors and organizations drumming up support for GMOs creates suspicion and pondering what the ‘ulterior motive’ is. Bill Gates is a huge proponent of GMOs and when he visited Kenya, he made it clear that all the bread he consumes is made from GM wheat. Also, Bill Gates’ funded research institutes have been bringing scientists to drum up support of GMOs in Kenya. This is perceived as a real conflict of interest.