Pros And Cons of Biotechnology

The pros:

Generally: can genetically modify foods for agriculture, eco-systems, human health, and provide the ability to feed a rapidly growing population.

- Allow foods to be genetically modified, so as to produce specific kinds of food. (e.g. fried, baked and snack products with low or even zero grams trans-fat)

- Allows crops to be able to withstand harsh weather conditions, allowing it to grow in many different countries.

- Improves people’s lives. As the genetically modified plant can grow in harsher conditions, this allows families to have a source of income, improving their lives.

- Save water: the plant can be specifically genetically modified to grow without a lot of water.

The cons:

Generally: may cause unforeseen health, environmental and socioeconomic consequences

- There is a possibility that genetically modified food crops may accidentally introduce a new allergen.

- Scientists worries that plant-eating insects and weeds will develop resistance to biotechnology crops leading to the creation of super-bugs or weeds that cannot be destroyed, this is a fact of life for any resistant strains of crops

Sources:

http://www.slideshare.net/educationprojects/pros-and-cons-of-biotechnology

http://www.bio.org/articles/what-biotechnology