Invoking "Food Imperialism" to Scare Public on GMOs
BiotechBloggers
Date: August 29, 2007
Ever heard of a phrase "food imperialism?" Opponents of modern crop
genetic engineering regularly use it to discredit genetically modified
(GM) foods, especially in developing countries. Since virtually all
agri-biotech companies are U.S.-based, they reckon that they promote
the America's dream of colonizing the global food supply.
This argument resonates well with those xenophobic enough toward
anything U.S. Yes, we get to hate GM foods not out of scientifically
proven safety concerns, but because they merely originate from mighty
U.S. We allow activist groups to pander to us that GM crops threaten
the environment and biodiversity, without demanding evidence to that
effect.
Out of fear - it's misplaced - we demand that our own homegrown
scientists be left alone to develop indigenous solutions to our food
woes. This is usually music to those who least appreciate the
potential benefits of modern agricultural technologies such as crop
genetic engineering.
Well, there's nothing wrong with scientists developing homegrown
solutions to their countries' food problems. Who wouldn't love such
patriotic scientists? Such efforts, however, must not be mutually
exclusive to scientific developments in other parts of the world.
We're in a global village. http://www.gmoafrica.org/2007/08/invoking-food-imperialism-to-scare-public-on-gmos.html