Fighting Mother Nature with Biotechnology - The Oxford Topic of Food, Politics, and Society - page 430

In addition to the immense and increasing pressure on the food supply, one of six
humans now lacks reliable regular access to clean water. We'll also have to contend with
climate change altering our environment, usually to the detriment of food production
by making arable farmland too hot or dry for efficient productivity. Creeping urbaniza-
tion displaces our most productive farmland with homes, roads, factories, and shop-
ping centers, none of which converts sunlight to food. Pollution worldwide degrades
soil, water, and air, all negatively impacting the productivity of farms. So we have an
increasing human population, many demanding high maintenance nutriments (a sim-
ple bowl of rice doesn't cut it anymore, as increasing affluence—especially in China and
India—drives increasing demand for animal protein and perturbing the entire dietary
source framework [Braun 2007]) at the same time dealing with diminishing resources.
Similarly, in the technologically advanced countries, while the current “eat local” loca-
vore food fad resonates loudly, actions do not seem to indicate consumers are willing to
give up imports of distantly grown fruits and veggies, nor other highly traveled comes-
tibles as Kobe beef, Belgian chocolate, or Canadian maple syrup. Yet a return to natural
lifestyles necessitates living off the local land, much as pre-contact Native Americans or
Australian Aborigines. And, within twenty years, we need to somehow generate 50 per-
cent more food than we do currently.
Clearly, doing what we've been doing got us into the mess we're now in, and doing
nothing is certainly not sustainable. So what do we do?
Some argue that we should use our human ingenuity and whatever technologies are
available to exploit the remaining resources and feed as many people as possible for as
long as possible. Such technologies would not exclude genetic engineering and other
biotechnologies along with whatever else may arise from the fertile minds of motivated
(albeit malnourished, perhaps) men and women.
Others argue that our mistake was in adopting human technologies that interfere with
natural processes in the first place, thus rejecting Mother Nature, and so we should now
eschew industrial agriculture, especially biotechnology, and return to her benevolent succor.
We have some tough decisions. We can either return to Mother Nature and follow her
rules or continue to use human ingenuity and innovation to fight her desire to keep our
human population within the limits of the Earth's carrying capacity.
Let's follow each path to its logical conclusion, starting with the “return to nature” route.
Humans in Harmony with
Mother Nature
Mother Nature's Replacement Rule
Mother Nature is usually portrayed as a benevolent and kindly overseer, ensuring a
nurturing, healthy, and sustainable environment for us all to thrive, cradle to grave.