Genetically Modified Food:-
Genetically modified foods are the ones in which foreign genes of bacteria or virus is inserted to alter their genetic makeup. It means that wither some of the already present genes have been changed or new genes have been inserted. For example, crops of corn and cotton are genetically modified in a way that a foreign gene of bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis has been inserted to kill the larvae of the insects which attack the plants. The method of genetic modification is not new in plants. In the past; farmers would use the method of selective breeding to produce such plants which have the desired traits. Plants are not always genetically altered in the laboratories but farmers in villages use the method of cross breeding to create characteristics of plants beneficent for the humans. These plants are being eaten by many people without having any harmful affects.

Poverty:-
Poverty is one of the biggest challenges that world is facing today. Most of the countries in this world are poor and lack the basic needs of life such as food. Most of the African countries are facing the problem of poverty. Poverty mostly affects children and due to malnutrition, they suffer from various diseases. to completely eradicate the issue of poverty is a complex thing but scientists have produced such foods which can be beneficent to fulfill the need of food in such countries. There are some beneficial as well as harmful effects of GM foods in reducing poverty.

Beneficial Effects of GM foods on Poverty:-
Genetically modified foods can fulfill the need of foods in poor countries by improving their yield. Many people who starve daily, they can easily access the GM food and eat it. These foods can be more beneficent economically and every individual can have access to them. There is another benefit of these crops is that they are pest and insect resistant and can bear the harsh weather. Scientists have even inserted such genes in plants which make the drought resistant and now plants can be produced at the places affected with drought. This way, crops can be grown in those areas where they were impossible to grow and people of that area can get benefit economically and they also can overcome the problem of poverty.

Another benefit of GM crops is that they can be transported to the developing countries in the form of seeds and it also makes easy the self sufficiency. This way, developing countries can also get their own food and can reduce poverty level in their country by providing less costly food to the poor. Genetically modified can also increase the nutritional value of the food by making certain changes in the genes of the plant genome. For example, corn is modified by inserting a gene of bacillus thuringiensis which makes the crop insect resistant and it produces sufficient amount of vitamin A which is beneficent for children and reduces the rate of blindness in them.

People who are struggling just to get the meal of the day, it would make them to improve their nutritional value without spending much money on the food. Genetically modified foods can definitely reduce the problem of malnutrition in poor people.

Harmful Effects of GM foods on Poverty:-
Though genetically modified are considered beneficial for the reduction of poverty from the world but still they have faced some criticism also. Critics believe that if the wealthier countries provide genetically modified seeds for the crop production, developing countries will become totally dependent on these countries for food. If developing countries start using the genetically modified food, then local farmers who produce low yield crops will not be ale to sell their crops and will face damage economically and the profit of using GM foods will go to the large companies.

People of developed countries have access to every facility of life like good food, health facilities etc while poor people do not get any of these things. Instead of improving the food quality, they should be allowed to access these basic needs by making them less costly and in reach of these people.

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