May 12th, 2011

Genetically Modified Cartoons II

by Alex Hallatt

I learnt about genetic engineering of organisms in university and it seemed like an answer to so many problems – increasing food yield and pest resistance, cleaning up oil spills and other pollution, medical therapies…. I’m not opposed to it in principal, but I’m opposed to the way it is viciously guarded by some of its patent holders (Monsanto springs to mind).

It is fair that companies who have invested millions in developing GMOs should reap the benefits, but I wish they would be more sensitive about it. Suing small-holding farmers for having GMO canola plants from seeds that have blown onto their land and forcing them to destroy all the seed they have been saving (as generations of farmers used to do) is criminal and threatens our food security (diversity of seed stock is key).

A previous comic strip series on genetic engineering is here.