Hobbies And Interests
Crop Yields
Through genetic engineering it is possible to grow more of a certain plant in an area where it could not have been grown before. For example, Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug was able to create dwarf wheat. This wheat has a shorter and stronger stem than normal wheat and so is better suited to the climate in places such as India. This technology has since been used around the world to increase productivity in countries previously struggling to produce enough food.
Land Use
By being able to produce more crops more easily, more land has been made available for other uses. This land could be used for more agriculture, with the potential for an export market, or to build homes, crop-processing facilities or other infrastructure. The Borlaug experiment in India alone is estimated to have saved 100 million acres of land.
Agricultural Diseases
One of the greatest threats to any agriculture is infectious diseases that can kill acres of crops. For example, the Hawaiian pineapple industry had been under threat due to parasites, but through gene splicing, an antibody was introduced into the plants making them immune.
Safety
The greatest fear of genetic engineering is the long-term effects for consumers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is now regularly accepting genetically spliced foods for human consumption. These advances could not only help feed starving countries, but could also help improve developing economies.