Surname 1
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course Details
Date
Increasing Food Supply
As time advances, the necessity for food continues to increase while its resources
continue to diminish significantly. If the populace were to watch and overlook this trend, it is
apparent that it would be in a food crisis someday very soon. In response to the current gap
between the proportion that the populace requires and the available amount, it has become
critically vital to upgrade food production mechanisms. The intention is to increase supply, but it
is imperative to check on its sustainability. As such, the methods have been varying according to
scenarios, and the cases below are perfect illustrations.
Artificial Selection
This technique is for producing varieties of plants that suit particular climates and soil
types. While food production may not necessarily refer to crops, artificial selection has been
taking place even in animals to come up with breeds that are adaptive to particular climatic
conditions. In such a case, it helps in the optimization of the products; crop production and
animal products increase in quantity and frequency of production. One example of a plant that
has been doing well is the production of guayule in Mexico. It has become cold tolerant which
increases rubber supply. The same case has been happening to okra and strawberry. With
hybridization being effectual, there is no doubt that similar techniques in the future will address
the problem of food supply.
Cost-benefit analysis: artificial selection has its benefits and downsides too. On the
economic scale, the method is almost free; this is a case for the one in agribusiness since doesn’t
require complex knowledge. Also, it has zero safety issues and helps in the production of crops
that are higher resistant to pests and diseases (Lombardo 3-5). The only problem is removing
variation in a population. Also, there is no guarantee of the formation of a pure breed of the
original. To the environment, it is too risky to generation continuity.
Genetically Modified Foods (GMOs)
This category of crops involves the ones with a refined DNA to give them different
features from those that occur naturally. As a result, it is possible to produce plants that are
highly resistant to diseases while also ensuring that they grow quicker than the rest. Examples of
crops that have successfully gone through this modification include cotton, corn, and soybean.
With such development, there is an expectation that the rate of production will improve 200
times in the next two decades.
Bolivia is one area that is known for its commitment to GMO production. It is using
genetic engineering to maximize the production of soy, and its current technique is purely
genetic. In fact, the country passed the Mother Earth law that supports genetic modification of
