CRISPR Technology Could Democratise Agriculture, Says IDTechEx
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Since GM crops were first planted in the USA in 1996, their production has increased dramatically, to the point where more than 90% of all soybean, cotton and corn acreage in the USA is now used to grow genetically engineered crops.
Extremely high barriers to commercialization mean that only companies capable of investing hundreds of millions of dollars have been able to develop transgenic crops. This has created a highly consolidated market, where four players control over 60% of the global industry: Bayer, BASF, Syngenta and Corteva Agriscience.
In recent years, the rapid development of gene editing technologies has led to a surge of interest in how they could be applied in agriculture. Gene editing techniques, such as CRISPR-Cas9 are much cheaper and quicker than transgenic technologies. As well as this, several countries, including the USA, have signalled that they do not intend to regulate gene edited crops. By removing many of the barriers around crop biotechnology, there are hopes (of big AG and the Chemical industry) that gene editing techniques like CRISPR could “democratise” agriculture.
“Crop Biotechnology 2020-2030,” the recent report by IDTechEx explores the tools and techniques used in crop biotechnology, providing a market outlook and evaluating whether gene editing really is the future of agriculture.
“Democratizing Agriculture”?
How can agriculture be democratized when permaculture, small scale farming, indigenous farming, non GMO Project, certified organic, c.l.e.a.n. or R.A.W., do not even get a seat at the table of this agriculture democracy.
Profit before Health, seems to be big Agriculture and the Chemical Companies perspective for the next decade; disregarding, long term testing, systems perspective on the mammal body, toxicity and killing off the microbiome in our guts and in our soil. This all is disguised, claiming elevated food crop yields, lowering of pesticide use and crop health, ignoring the fact that organic permaculture farming outgrows GM crops. It is suppressing the fact of the existence of Integrated pest management where nature is utilized to fight pests and pathogens through predators, terpenes, phenols, sterols, fugi and changes in environmental factors.
The mode of action Genetically modified organisms follow to kill pest is the same mode of action our gut microbes utilize. A high Genetically modified diet will effectively kill of healthy microbiome and causes overgrowth of unbeneficial bacteria, fungi and yeasts, causing leaky gut, IBS, IBD and potential other long-term health problems, such as autoimmune disease.
In nature in causes pesticide and herbicide rich runoff causing algae blooms through out all big bodies of water in this country, soil toxicity throughout the center of out country rendering the soil useless over time It kills all ecosystems it touches I a radical chain reaction and it jeopardizes our food security itself by killing pollinating insects.
We can only hope that conclusions will prohibit further invasion of GMO’s into our food chain; Sadly I am not hopeful for the broader population.
We can all impact this decicion making by choosing to grow our own food in our back yards, our communities, or purchase organic option from farm to table services.
With all your personal growing option in your garden or community, I am happy to help, create sustainable ecosystems for you!
For sustainable organic integrated landscape, Call 206 495 8081