Week 7

The Biobusiness revolution 2

Agriculture and the Environment: Past, Present, Future

Can we grow what we need? That was the very first question asked at the start of the class. Or to be more specific "when we are able to grow the resources we need, we will finally be on the road to sustainability”.

At many parts of the lesson, a point has been brought up quite often. If everyone on this globe lives and consumes like an American, we will need 3-5 earths to fulfill the wants of close to 7 billion people. We have been told time and time again that our resources are running out and we need to find alternative methods of meeting our needs. Ta-daa! Here comes the bio-business to save the day. But does it really save the day?

Yes, because it offers us alternatives instead of the old fashioned, traditional way of using food (ie. just for eating). Food can now be even be converted into Energy which will be discussed more in the next topic.

No, because think about how much the bio-business has affected the world. These talks about biofuels, bioplastics, etc. does help in a way or another, but it has also brought out many issues which can be quite controversial. What about what goes into our food? No doubt that technology has been used to enhance not only the quantity, but also the quality of our food, but these two do not work toge

ther. To get more, quality will be comprised, vice-versa. Some people can be too caught up with watching what food they eat. To me, as long as you are eating healthy (i.e. 2 servings of fruits and veg a day and plenty of water), it should not really matter where or rather how the food is produced. Of course, saying this is easy, but after you know how the food you have been eating is produced, you may think twice about eating them in the future. In conclusion, eat happy, die happy.

So how do we ensure food security?

Food Security - A condition where all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO).

People in developed countries have so much food that they are become obese but in developing countries, people are starving to death. So, this is not the matter of having not enough because as what Mahatma Gandhi said “There’s enough on this planet for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed.” It is more the issue of distribution that matters.

Rating: 6/10.

The session actually talks more about bioTECHNOLOGY itself instead of linking it specifically to agriculture and environment.