PASSAGE IV
The
controversy over genetically-modified food continues unabated in the West.
Genetic modification (GM) is the science by which the genetic material of a
plant is altered, perhaps to make it more resistant to pests or killer weeds,
or to enhance its nutritional value. Many food biotechnologists claim that GM
will be a major contribution of science to mankind in the 21st century. On the
other hand, large numbers of opponents, mainly in Europe, claim that the
benefits of GM are a myth propagated by multinational corporations to increase
their profits, that they pose a health hazard, and have therefore called for governments
to ban the sale of genetically-modified food.
The
anti-GM campaign has been quite effective in Europe, with several European
Union member countries imposing a virtual ban for five years over
genetically-modified food imports. Since the genetically modified food industry
is particularly strong in the United States of America, the controversy also constitutes
another chapter in the US-Europe skirmishes which have become particularly
acerbic after the US invasion of Iraq.
To
a large extent, the GM controversy has been ignored in the Indian media,
although Indian biotechnologists have been quite active in GM research. Several
groups of Indian biotechnologists have been working on various issues connected
with crops grown in India. One concrete achievement which has recently figured
in the news is that of a team led by the former vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal
Nehru University, Asis Datta—it has successfully added an extra gene to
potatoes to enhance the protein content of the tuber by at least 30 percent.
Not surprisingly, the new potato has been called the protato. The protato is
now in its third year of field trials. It is quite likely that the GM
controversy will soon hit the headlines in India since a spokesperson of the
Indian Central government has recently announced that the government may use
the protato in its midday meal programme for schools as early as next year.
Why
should "scientific progress", with huge potential benefits to the
poor and malnourished, be so controversial? The anti-GM lobby contends that
pernicious propaganda has vastly exaggerated the benefits of GM and completely
evaded the costs which will have to be incurred if the genetically-modified
food industry is allowed to grow unchecked. In particular, they allude to
different types of costs.
This
group contends that the most important potential cost is that the widespread
distribution and growth of genetically-modified food will enable the corporate
world (alias the multinational corporations—MNCs) to completely capture the
food chain. A "small" group of biotech companies will patent the
transferred genes as well as the technology associated with them. They will
then buy up the competing seed merchants and seed-breeding centres, thereby
controlling the production of food at every possible level. Independent farmers,
big and small, will be completely wiped out of the food industry. At best, they
will be reduced to the status of being subcontractors.
This
line of argument goes on to claim that the control of the food chain will be
disastrous for the poor since the MNCs, guided by the profit motive, will only
focus on the high-value food items demanded by the affluent. Thus, in the long
run, the production of basic staples which constitute the food basket of the poor
will taper off. However, this vastly overestimates the power of the MNCs. Even
if the research promoted by them does focus on the high-value food items, much
of biotechnology research is also funded by governments in both developing and
developed countries. Indeed, the protato is a by-product of this type of
research. If the protato passes the field trials, there is no reason to believe
that it cannot be marketed in the global potato market. And this type of
success story can be repeated with other basic food items.
The
second type of cost associated with the genetically-modified food industry is
environmental damage. The most common type of "genetic engineering"
involves gene modification in plants designed to make them resistant to
applications of weed-killers. This then enables farmers to use massive dosages
of weedkillers so as to destroy or wipe out all competing varieties of plants
in their fields. However, some weeds through genetically-modified pollen
contamination may acquire resistance to a variety of weed-killers. The only way
to destroy these weeds is through the use of ever-stronger herbicides which are
poisonous and linger on in the environment.
55.
The author doubts the anti-GM lobby's contention that MNC control of the food
chain will be disastrous for the poor because
[1] MNCs will focus on high-value food items.
[2] MNCs are driven by the motive of profit
maximization.
[3] MNCs are not the only group of actors in
genetically-modified food research.
[4] economic development will help the poor
buy MNC-produced food.
56.
Using the clues in the passage, which of the following countries would you
expect to be in the forefront of the anti-GM campaign?
[1] USA and Spain.
[2] India and Iraq.
[3] Germany and France.
[4] Australia and New Zealand.
57.
Genetic modification makes plants more resistant to killer weeds. However, this
can lead to environmental damage by
[1] wiping out competing varieties of plants
which now fall prey to killer weeds.
[2] forcing application of stronger
herbicides to kill weeds which have become resistant to weak herbicides.
[3] forcing application of stronger
herbicides to keep the competing plants weed-free.
[4] not allowing growth of any weeds, thus
reducing soil fertility.
58.
Which of the following about the Indian media's coverage of scientific research
does the passage seem to suggest?
[1] Indian media generally covers a subject
of scientific importance when its mass application is likely.
[2] Indian media's coverage of scientific
research is generally dependent on MNCs' interests.
[3] Indian media, in partnership with the
government, is actively involved in publicizing the results of scientific
research.
[4] Indian media only highlights scientific
research which is funded by the government.
59.
According to the passage, biotechnology research
[1] is of utility only for high value food
items.
[2] is funded only by multinational
corporations.
[3] allows multinational corporations to
control the food basket of the poor.
[4] is funded mainly by the government of
both the rich and poor countries.
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