The field of biotechnology has dramatically changed agriculture around the world. With a global population approaching six billion and less and less land being used in cultivation resulting from population growth and urban expansion, man had to come up with new technologies to increase food production.
In the 70s and 80s, the green revolution was the newest technology advancement. ﾠIt worked and countries like China and India went from food deficient countries to countries producing surplus amounts of food. ﾠYet malnutrition is still rampant around the world particularly in many less developed countries on the African continent.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that some 800 million people go to bed hungry every night. How is mankind to feed these people and eliminate the scourge of hunger? ﾠThe Gene revolution is the latest weapon in bunger eradication.
How Did It Come About?
In 1953, two scientists, Francis Crick and James Watson made a century changing discovery. They discovered the spiral ﾓdouble helixﾒ structure of deoxyribonucleic or commonly called DNA. Crick and Watson described their discovery as the ﾓsecret of lifeﾒ. ﾠIt is their discovery which laid the foundation for biotechnology and the development of a whole new industry.
It is through biotechnology that mankind hopes to meet the food requirements of those 800 million who go to bed hungry. ﾠDespite some misgivings, conventional and traditional system of food production are not enough to bridge the gap between the state of global food deficiency and global food adequacy.
The Crick-Watson discovery of DNA has opened the door to the new era of genetically modified crops which were grown seven million farmers in 18 countries. ﾠThe big advantage of GM crops is the ability to grow them by using less input like pesticides. Their work pioneered genetic engineering with its tremendous spin-off not only in agribusiness but in other areas of the living sciences.
The technology of producing a genetically modified crop or plant has enabled scientists to alter genes by breeding out disease and breed in desired or good traits. ﾠAs a result of DNA being deciphered, farmers the world over have benefited and are benefiting from this unraveling of lifeﾴs basic ingredient.
Agriculture As Applied Science
There are two aspects of agriculture. One should never overlook or under value the art of farming; the science of farming is fundamental but most farmers place little value on the science of farming because most do not understand it. ﾠTo them, the art of farming carries more weight.
However to fully appreciate this art form, one must appreciate the science which makes it possible. When the science and art is combined wonderful things occur. It is from this perspective that the traditional farmer has built his technology around the art of farming even though the science of life plays an integral role in his output.
Crick and Watson have made it possible for us to understand a little more about the science which enables us to expand and develop the business of food production.
Godfrey Eneas, The Bahama Journal
