Topic: 2024-GMOs and Food Security
Country: Philippines
Delegate Name: Andrew Tompkins
Simply put, the Philippines has a food issue. The Philippines ranks 67th of 117 recorded countries on the GFSI (Global Food Security Index) and even more concerningly ranks 100th of 117 recorded countries in food sustainability. If you look at the nation’s GDP (gross domestic product) this figure appears confusing as the Philippines ranks 37th of 176 countries in GDP so it stands to reason that the nation is producing food at a level relative to its economic production. Now if you look at GDP per capita instead the Philippines drops to 114th of 176 countries which makes the GFSI score make more sense as it becomes apparent that the Philippines’ relatively high GDP in a vacuum isn’t able to hold up to its population of 117 million. Even with GDP per capita in consideration, their food sustainability score is still very low relative to their economy, this is a result of them being semi-dependant on other nations such as China and the USA for food imports due to their extremely small amount of arable land relative to their population.
Genetically modified organisms or GMOs are a broad topic in scientific research but for this discussion, we are examining GMOs in the context of food production. GMOs are a tool used to more efficiently produce agriculture. Farmers genetically alter agriculture for more favorable qualities such as quicker growth rates and a larger size once fully grown which allows higher levels of food production and lowers the cost of food due to an increase in supply and a decrease in production cost. The debate on GMOs centers around the weighting of the positive effects of GMOs, being cheaper food that’s more sustainable, and the negative effects of GMOs, which are their effect on the environment and their potential health downsides. GMOs negatively impact the environment because they introduce new species of plants into the ecosystem that are bred to outlast their natural counterparts which leads to the endangerment of native agricultural species.
While GMOs have their downsides and aren’t a sustainable long-term solution those downsides are for lack of a more accurate description, first-world problems. While dwindling biodiversity, large farming conglomerates pushing family farms to the side in favor of large-scale production, and an ambiguous effect on long-term health are important issues, nations like the Philippines all around the globe can’t afford to concern themselves with potential long-term effects when a solution is needed in the short term with no obvious alternatives. If GMO products can feed the ever-growing number of those under threat of starvation around the globe then we have no choice but to make use of them and accept the unfortunate consequences of GMOs as a necessary evil. That is not to say that nothing should be done about the harmfulness of GMOs. We propose that a dedicated United Nations task force be formed for the sole purpose of finding safer alternatives to GMOs or solutions that would cut down on the drawbacks of these genetically modified crops. Our counsel should strive to promote methods of containing GMO-produced agriculture so that it does not contaminate native agricultural species. Our member nations should place regulations on GMO agricultural production that put strict guidelines on how you handle these new strains so that natural strains can thrive.
The Philippines cares deeply about the environment, we live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet filled with abundant biodiversity. We understand the consequences that GMOs may have on our environment, despite our priority being the quality of life and well-being of the Filipino people and if allowing GMO crops to become the new agricultural wave without restriction then that is a measure that our great nation is willing to take and that we are confident many other nations around the globe would take without question.
Work Cited:
https://www.un.org/development/desa/dpad/publication/frontier-technology-quarterly-may-2019/
https://impact.economist.com/sustainability/project/food-security-index/
https://www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-by-country/
https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732/#:~:text=Potential%20health%20risks%20to%20humans,resistant%20genes%20to%20gut%20flora.
