BIOTECHNOLOGY: SOLVING WORLD'S FOOD SECURITY PROBLEM
Food Security is a decade old menace, but thanks Technological advancement which had impacted all aspects of lives including eliminating some of the World's food crisis. In Science- Biology; technology had been a fundamental principle. The utilization of living organisms to engineer(enhance, improve, develop) biological systems through the application of technology- Biotechnology.
Biology with Technology in Agriculture, livestock production, medical applications, Education, Molecular Biotechnology, food production and processing and environmental Biotech are the various sector/industry of application. Aside eradicating Food scarcity to some level, from Agricultural perspective; Bio-tech orientates and educate humans on the importance of food security and the benefit of good nourishment to a community and help balancing the population growth margin to the available resources.
This application of scientific techniques to engineer crop production(Hybrid seeds), Animal Production is an essential tool to the Agro-economy of several countries/World.
The United Nations in the year 2005 in a research/study stated that food production and animal production contributes less than 50% to the Global food needs.
But Advancement in Tech had been able to improve that, solving food crisis and famine in remote parts of the World. Animal production and high yielding seeds/crops had been engineered to tackle most of this problems. Read along as i shed more light on how it had been of value in the two major Agricultural sector.
BIOTECH IN CROP/GRAIN PRODUCTION
In 2007, bio-engineered crops and seeds cultivated on 274 Million acres of Farm land produced 31.3 Billion pounds reduction in Emission of Excessive Carbon Gas, an equivalent emission from approximately 6.3 Millions Auto-Mobiles not active in 12 months- Sharon Bomer Luriten, Bio's Executive Vice president of Agriculture and Food.
Aside from bountiful harvest, environmental pollution is minimized. The dangers of food scarcity eliminated to some low point coupled with the production of immune grains/crops to pest and diseases i.e High Tolerance and Resistance species of seeds/crops had been fabricated which had benefited all the nations of the World.
Technology in Agriculture- Crop production helps foster a Greener Agricultural System i.e an Eco-friendly system of cultivation that produces more clean air(Absence of C0), Clean water, less toxic farm lands.
SUMMARIZED ADVANTAGES
- As stated earlier, reduction of gas emission from Greenhouses due to engineered seeds suitable for No-till system farming.
- Farmland cost of running/production is doubled down.
- Reduced labor due to resistance crops to pest and harsh conditions.
- Soil quality improvement as a result of zero/less land movements during cultivation/tilling which advance seeds/crops seldom requires.
- Reduction in Energy consumption on farmlands i.e no more sprayers, weeders etc.
BIOTECH IN ANIMAL/LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION
Climatic conditions had degraded due to the orthodox system of animal farming as a result of large animal wastes, air pollution, water pollution etc. Technology had improved that, animal production had increased very fast with hybrid animals with strong genes. Some of the technology involved are Embryo Transfer(ET), In-Vitro Fertilization(IVF), Genetically Identical Offspring(GIO), Artificial Insemination etc.
The fact is, the amount of grains and crops produced could not feed the entire population of the World, therefore Animal production had to be improved on to fill this void.
ADVANTAGES
- The problem of concentrated animal wastes had been solved.
- Improvised nutrition for livestock.
- Strong Genetical Traits in animals which is ideal for rapid reproductions is achieved.
Biotechnology disadvantages in Agriculture are little compared to it's huge benefits to mankind, the objective of this blog is to orientate and educate readers on the areas we all have benefited from since optimizing technology with agriculture.
Image Source
References
Technology in Agriculture 1- Crop Production
Technology in Agriculture 2- Animal Production
Food and Fertilizer Technology Center
Biotechnology in Animal Agriculture
Application of agricultural biotechnology to improve food nutrition and healthcare products
The Future of Agricultural Biotechnology
FOLLOW-UPVOTE-RESTEEM AND MAYBE DROP A SUPPORTING OR CONTRARY COMMENT.....It's your friendly Neighbor @oluwoleolaide for Steem-Lagos-Nigeria-Africa-World!
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hi dear @oluwoleolaide, wonderful article with lovely images. nice written about food security problems.useful topic of biotechnology.keep it up.
check my latest post for your feedback thnks.
it seems that food is very tasty, let alone midnight like this
Seems fresh
thats a great technology...i like your food
It helps a lot
Great tech
You are absolutely correct mate
Seriously am happy it's coming from my own big boss. Hw i wish the raw material information can be processed into the mind of millions of people out. Many eat what dy feel they enjoy while it kills then unknown to them
Post resteem @japfive
Thanks mate, we are what we eat....Though the treat of food security is minimal now.
I am curious where you got this from since I've always heard the opposite: If we could use the land now utilized by animal husbandry for growing plant-based foods (grains, crops, etc.) then food would be much more plentiful. What are your thoughts on this?
Sounds like a vegitarian assertion to me. Do you know not all land mass are cultivate-able? Some are too arid and too toxic for anything to grow on it- Best usage is Livestock/Animal Farming.
Good point, some land is indeed ill-suited for agriculture. But food production through animals husbandry requires much more land. According to the FAO 33% of cropland is used to produce feed for animals.
Also from the same source:
Which is why I was curious about the statement that agriculture alone could not feed earth's population.
it says 33 years from now i believe. Food production through animal husbandry is done on those barren-lands, i my Country Nigeria; the Northerners owns the largest Animals transported to the Cities where they are sold, why; because they have huge land mass not suitable for Crop production but they utilize it for Animal rearing.
I appreciate you sharing this perspective. There's been so much demonizing of GMOs, that this is an excellent counter-balance clearly painting out many of the benefits. :-)
Most welcome dear friend, all i read is crime and the hazard of technology and it saddens me we do not have much people to raise more hopes through blogs and writings that there is a glimpse of hope on this planet.