What is a globalized society? When most people think of a globalized society, they might think of money, wealth, and power. What if we broke a globalized society down to its bare essentials - food, water, clothing, and shelter – how would this affect people? Most people in wealthy nations do not need to worry about where their next meal is coming from or how nutritious it is going to be, however approximately 36 million people around the world will die from starvation this year alone1. This is the equivalent of one person dying from starvation every second. As population sizes continue to grow (by over 80 million people worldwide every year2) there have been countless efforts to try and find ways to keep up with the demands of bare essentials such as the ones listed above. Because of these increasing numbers, food for example is only going to be harder to grow in order to sustain such a large population. This dilemma encouraged many people, especially scientists and farmers, to think of ways to produce large amounts of food, without taking up more land, in as short a time span as possible. Eventually, a solution was reached – genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Many people do not know what GMOs are even though they probably affect their life every day. Genetically modified organisms are organisms whose genetic material has been altered using any kind of genetic engineering techniques. Many different things can be genetically modified including the ingredients in some medications and supplements, various foods (such as corn and soy), plants (such as cotton), and even animals (such as cows and pigs)3. GMOs were originally created for many reasons: as a way to develop pest resistant crops; as a way to create more food in the same amount of space in a faster time; as a way to improve the nutritional content of some foods - mainly for the people living in developing, third-world countries with little access to healthy foods - and they were created for several other reasons including financial incentives4.

Since the beginning of recorded history, farmers would select their best and most productive crops to keep producing the most successful plants that would then create successful offspring. In the twentieth century, scientists began to select the most productive trait at the actual individual gene level in order to control the placement of genes in the new crops. This “gene-splicing” technology began to enter the food industry in 1990 when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the safety of a new genetically modified strain of rennet, which is an enzyme used to curdle milk5.

Along with many complicated things in today’s society, GMOs are a controversial topic that always seems to be up for debate. GMOs are so controversial that while GMOs are grown in about 28 countries, they are banned in about 36 countries. Just like every argument, this one has two sides: the benefits of GMOs that go towards a globalized society and the unwanted effects of GMOs that go against a globalized society. In the United States, a first world country, GMOs are welcomed by some people due to their economic benefit and increased food supply, yet they are opposed by other people due to their effect on the environment and several potential health risks. In a third world country, such as Honduras, the potential health risks are over looked due to the increasing availability of cheaper, more nutritious foods. After reviewing all of this information, there is one question that needs to be answered – to what extent are genetically modified organisms beneficial in a globalized society?

In order to fully debate this topic, we need to take a look at this argument one side at time. Genetically modified organisms were created and designed to serve a purpose and so far they have shown extremely successful results. To begin, GMOs are resilient against harsh climatic conditions so they have higher chances of surviving - even thriving - in warm, dry, freezing, and rainy climates. Crops and certain foods will be easier to come across in certain areas of Africa that are affected by drought. This is because scientists have discovered and tested various ways to transfer traits for drought and heat tolerance into crops6; these modified crops have reacted very well to the dramatic climate conditions, and they continue to thrive. GMOs can have a higher nutritional value, which is another positive factor, especially for people who live in developing countries. Golden rice is an excellent example of a genetically modified food with improved nutrition. It is specifically known for its higher levels of beta carotene, which is needed by humans to produce Vitamin A. Natural rice does not contain any beta carotene, so the people who mainly live off of rice often have a Vitamin A deficiency. Most of the people who are deficient in Vitamin A live in less economically developed countries (LEDCs), or in some poorer areas of Africa and Asia. Vitamin A is very important for humans; without it, people can get irreversible blindness, an increased risk of disease from infections, and several other tragic health issues. However, with golden rice, the number of cases of Vitamin A deficiencies is likely to decrease. According to the author, “A single bowl of this new golden rice can supply 60 percent of a child's daily requirement of vitamin A.”7 Overall, the main cause for genetically modified organisms is the need for food. As of right now, there are about 7.6 billion people on earth, and these numbers have steadily continued to grow every year8. Because millions of people die every year from starvation, GMOs were created so more food could be produced in a shorter time period; this also allows the food to be cheaper for the consumer. Farmers in the United States, which is one of the wealthier countries, use the incentive of cheaper crops to grow more genetically modified products. These farmers may not be thinking about how the GMOs can either positively or negatively affect the public, they might only be thinking of GMOs in relation to their own profit due to the higher yields of cheap crops. The large yield of crops comes from the heat/drought resistance, as mentioned earlier, and it comes from certain traits that prevent insect infestation (by producing its own natural pest insecticide inside the plant). Cotton and maize are crops that have been genetically modified to produce a bacterial species called Bacillus Thuringiensis; this is also known as the Bt toxin. This bacteria is toxic to certain insects so it acts as its own pesticide. These kinds of BT crops are grown mainly in the United States where 40% of genetically modified maize is used for large scale biofuels. Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, and some areas of Spain grow genetically modified maize for animal feed. These countries use modified crops because they prevent the need for spray-on pesticides and they ward off harmful insects that would otherwise eat/damage the crops which would become a costly problem in the end. As a matter of fact, BT cotton is the only genetically modified crop allowed to be grown in China and India. While BT crops are a financially positive creation, they have several downsides. Because they cannot be washed off they can potentially cause some adverse health effects on both humans and the wildlife that eat them9. While there is not much information about the negative risks of BT crops, there is some skepticism about the potential long term effects on health.

Conversely, there are several major concerns with the widespread use of GMOs. One topic that people in first world countries are mainly concerned about is the environmental impact. Toxicity is a major issue surrounding pesticides and crops that are genetically modified to produce their own pesticides. This is because while most pesticides reach their goal of keeping away the main pest-insects, they are also toxic to other organisms that are not targeted, mainly bees and butterflies. Bees, along with birds, are incredibly important in the pollination process10, so when they become endangered they cannot do their job. This slows down food production and growth along with angering consumers who try to protect animals and insects. The more people who are angered by GMOs, the fewer consumers who will buy them, resulting in less profits for farmers. Another huge concern that mainly affects third world countries is the risk of allergic reactions. Because GMOs often add new proteins that were not already in the original plant or animal, new allergic reactions are caused in the body. An example of this is in cases where the proteins that some people are allergic to are added to a different organism that they were not originally allergic to. Therefore, that person may now experience the same allergic reaction from the first organism with the new organism11. The risk of the allergic reactions has less of an impact on first world countries, such as the United States, than third world countries, such as Honduras, because wealthier countries have the option of eating GMOs or organic foods. If genetically modified food was the only food available to someone in a third world country, they would have no choice but to eat that food. Therefore they would be at a higher risk of possibly getting an allergic reaction. However, if someone in the United States knew what they were allergic to in a GMO, they could easily avoid it and eat the organic alternative.

While it can be confusing to go through all of the information, it is easy to do so once all of it is broken down and simplified. The United States is more likely to use GMOs because of the economic benefit they possess to the farmers and consumers, rather than the extra boost of food. Europe, another wealthy area, has almost banned GMOs in all of their nations due to the possibility of dangerous environmental and health risks; they will not look at any incentives to grow the genetically modified crops because they want to keep the chemicals out of their citizens. Honduras, as previously mentioned, has the highest incidence of using GMOs because of the increase in food, the increase in nutritional value of that food, and the economic benefits that can be used to put back into their economy.

After carefully researching and evaluating both sides of the argument, I believe that genetically modified organisms are indeed beneficial to a globalized society. I believe this because of how GMOs affect the entire world in a positive way; at least I think the positives outweigh the negatives. Hunger is a major issue even in the advanced world we live in today, so without GMOs global hunger could be twice as bad, if not tripled, within only a few decades. Populations would fall faster than they would be growing, and developing countries/LEDCs would be struggling. Research on the topic of GMOs is far from over, however I believe there has been great progress since GMOs have first been scientifically studied and tested. Further research and testing into this area could also potentially put peoples’ minds at ease, who do not like how GMOs stand right now. At the end of the day, there is always more research and testing to be done, yet we have made excellent progress and we continue to do so every day. As this paper comes to an end, we can reflect on the presented information with a quote by Michael Specter; “By themselves, genetically engineered crops will not end hunger or improve health or bolster the economies of struggling countries. They won't save the sight of millions or fortify their bones. But they will certainly help.”

1James Hardison. "Speaking About How Many People Die from Hunger Each Year." The Borgen Project. July 13, 2017. Accessed February 26, 2018. 
2 "Real time world statistics." Worldometers. 2018. Accessed February 26, 2018.
3 Caroline Young. "7 Most Common Genetically Modified Foods." The Huffington Post. December 03, 2013. Accessed February 27, 2018. 
4 Steve Calhoun. "Why were GMO, what was the purpose, for which they were initially created?" April 4, 2016. Accessed February 27, 2018. 5 Bill Ganzel. The GMO Age Begins. 2009. Accessed February 25, 2018.6 Gwendolyn Schanker. "GM crops are safe and needed to combat climate change, but some benefits are oversold." New England Climate Change Review. Accessed February 26, 2018. 7 Dan Charles. "In A Grain Of Golden Rice, A World Of Controversy Over GMO Foods." NPR. March 07,2013. Accessed February 26, 2018. 8 "Real time world statistics." Worldometers. 2018. Accessed February 26, 2018. worldometers.

9 "Pest Resistant Crops." GeneWatch UK - Pest Resistant Crops - Pest Resistant Crops (Bt Crops) Produce Toxins Which Kill Insect Pests. Bt Maize Is Grown Largely for Use in Animal Feed and Biofuels in North and South America. Bt Cotton Is Also Grown in India and China. Accessed February 28, 2018. 10 Emily Glass. "The Environmental Impact of GMOs." One Green Planet. February 19, 2018. Accessed February 28, 2018. 11 Joshua Duvauchelle. "Pros & Cons of GMO Foods." LIVESTRONG. October 03, 2017. Accessed February 28, 2018.