Japan should cultivate genetically modified plants by Maki O

-->

Genetically modified plants (GM plants) are crops which have had their genetic structure changed artificially to get characteristics which are not in the original crops. The planted areas of GM plants are increasing year by year and the plants are cultivated in 29 nations in the world. However, Japan doesn’t cultivate GM plants because Japanese don’t understand GM plants. In my opinion, Japan should cultivate GM plants. There are two reasons for this. First, cultivating GM plants is expected to help Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate to rise. In addition, we can stabilize farming such that crops are not influenced by the natural environment such as climate and the harmful insects.

First, Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate is about 39 %. It means that the amount of crop production of Japan is low and Japanese cannot get enough food if imports are stopped. To avoid this case, Japan should cultivate GM plants which are high yields, to raise Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate.

Second, the number of farmers has been decreasing for the past fifty years because yields and their proceeds are unstable. The natural environment is the main factor of the amount of crop yield. GM plants, for example Bt crops which is not harmed by harmful insects and Cold-resistance plants, are not influenced by the natural environment. It is say that GM plants help farmers to get steady proceeds.

  GM plants help our life. However, now, Japan doesn’t cultivate these because Japanese don’t understand the advantage of GM plants. So, we should study GM plants and cultivate these for Japanese agriculture.

Reference
Genetically modified food. Retrieved 2 February 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org
        /wiki/Genetically_modified_food
Monsanto Japan. Retrieved 2 February 2013 from http://www.monsanto.co.jp/index.html 
No! GMO Campaign. Retrieved 2 February 2013 from http://www.gmo-iranai.org/gmguide/gmguide.html