Abstract
Genetic modification (GM) of crops is a technique that involves the transfer of a genetic material from one organism, including plants, animals, or microorganisms, into a different organism, modifying the plants’ characteristics. The technology provides different approaches towards agricultural improvements (environmental, nutritional, yield increases, etc.), which maintained the global food security (quality and safety). However, the opponents have kept on fighting against the technology in a way that merely addresses the potential risks with disregard to the benefits. Some of the arguments which are commonly addressed against the agricultural biotechnology are the negative impacts of overproduction, unnatural biological diversity and the domination of multinational agribusiness corporations. Therefore, the present review reveals an insight towards the negative and positive effects of GM crops on human health and the environment including ethical concerns. The write up will also be an overview that addresses the importance of GM crops and the moral imperative including religious perspectives, thus, providing the public awareness towards accepting the biotechnology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Acharya K 2019 Agriculture, GM and ethics: the case of India. JAHR 10 5
Armiliato N, Ammar D, Nezzi L, Straliotto M, Muller YM and Nazari EM 2014 Changes in ultrastructure and expression of steroidogenic factor-1 in ovaries of zebrafish Danio rerio exposed to glyphosate. J. Toxicol. Environ. Health A 77 405–414
Busscher N, Colombo EL, van der Ploeg L, Gabella JI and Leguizamón A 2020 Civil society challenges the global food system: the International Monsanto Tribunal. Globalizations 17 16–30
Clausing P, Robinson C and Burtscher-Schaden H 2018 Pesticides and public health: an analysis of the regulatory approach to assessing the carcinogenicity of glyphosate in the European Union. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 72 668–672
Deng H, Hu R, Pray C and Jin Y 2019 Perception and attitude toward GM technology among agribusiness managers in China as producers and as consumers. Sustainability 11 1342
Dibden J, Gibbs D and Cocklin C 2013 Framing GM crops as a food security solution. J. Rural Stud. 29 59–70
Dowd-Uribe B 2014 Engineering yields and inequality? how institutions and agro-ecology shape Bt cotton outcomes in Burkina Faso. Geoforum 53 161–171
Gheysen G, Maes J, Valcke M, Sanou EIR, Speelman S and Heijde M 2019 Well informed farmers and consumers are positive about GM Crops in Europe and Africa. Afrika Focus 32 49–56
Giménez EH and Shattuck A 2011 Food crises, food regimes and food movements: rumblings of reform or tides of transformation? J. Peasant Stud. 38 109–144
Glover D 2010 The corporate shaping of GM crops as a technology for the poor. J. Peasant Stud. 37 67–90
Graham-Rowe D 2011 Agriculture: Beyond food versus fuel. Nature 474 S6–S8
Idris S, Majeed ABA and Chang LW 2020 Beyond halal: Maqasid al-Shari’ah to assess bioethical issues arising from genetically modified crops. Sci. Eng. Ethics 26 1463–1476
Leguizamón A 2014 Modifying Argentina: GM soy and socio-environmental change. Geoforum 53 149–160
Levidow L and Bijman J 2002 Farm inputs under pressure from the European food industry. Food Policy 27 31–45
Lucht J 2015 Public acceptance of plant biotechnology and GM crops. Viruses 7 4254–4281
Maye D, Dibden J, Higgins V and Potter C 2012 Governing biosecurity in a neoliberal world: comparative perspectives from Australia and the United Kingdom. Environ. Plan A 44 150–168
McMichael P 2009 A food regime analysis of the ‘World Food Crisis’. Agric. Hum. Values 26 281
Mottet A, de Haan C, Falcucci A, Tempio G, Opio C and Gerber P 2017 Livestock: on our plates or eating at our table? A new analysis of the feed/food debate. Global Food Secur. 14 1–8
Muscat A, de Olde EM, de Boer IJM and Ripoll-Bosch R 2020 The battle for biomass: a systematic review of food-feed-fuel competition. Global Food Secur. 25 100330
Newell P 2009 Bio-Hegemony: The political economy of agricultural biotechnology in Argentina. J. Lat. Am. Stud. 41 27–57
Philippe R and Mavoori H 2020 The Bayer-Monsanto fusion: countering brand tarnishing and rebuilding reputation. J. Business Strategy 41 27–37
Poore J and Nemecek T 2018 Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers. Science 360 987–992
Romano MA, Romano RM, Santos LD, et al. 2012 Glyphosate impairs male offspring reproductive development by disrupting gonadotropin expression. Arch Toxikol. 86 663–673
Roy PM and Abido M 2014 The role of biotechnology in the conservation of biodiversity. J. Exp. Biol. Agric. Sci. 2 352–363
Sanou EIR, Gheysen G, Koulibaly B, Roelofs C and Speelman S 2018 Farmers’ knowledge and opinions towards Bollgard II® implementation in cotton production in western Burkina Faso. New Biotechnol. 42 33–41
van derPleog L and Vanclay F 2017 A tool for improving the management of social and human rights risks at project sites: the Human Rights Sphere. J. Cleaner Prod. 142 4072–4084
Vandenberg LN, Blumberg B, Antoniou MN, et al. 2017 Is it time to reassess current safety standards for glyphosate-based herbicides? J. Epidemiol. Community Health. 71 613–618
Weale A 2010 Ethical arguments relevant to the use of GM crops. New Biotechnol. 27 582–587
Woodburn T 2000 Glyphosate: production, pricing and use worldwide. Pest Manag. Sci. 56 309–312
Acknowledgements
The authors want to thank their respective institutions for their continued support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Manchikatla Venkat Rajam
Corresponding editor: Manchikatla Venkat Rajam
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abushal, L.T., Salama, M., Essa, M.M. et al. Agricultural biotechnology: Revealing insights about ethical concerns. J Biosci 46, 81 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-021-00203-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-021-00203-0