I always like to deliberate on my bowl of rice before dinner. The more I think about it, the more unique I find it. It is really something special, something that millions of people grow and harvest as a mean to survive, something that millions of fortunate people like me, eat as a commodity. However, I also realised that it is something that millions of poor and hungry people need to fill up their stomachs.
I understand the how tough it is to be a rice farmer, having to worry about extreme weather destroying one’s crops and harvest, and having to worry about losing one’s livelihood. I could also imagine how pitiful a boy in the developing country could be, being malnourished because he does not have enough nutrients to grow up healthily.
In India, rainfall patterns have shifted in the past five to seven years, “reducing rice production by up to 3 per cent”. Extreme weather conditions like cyclones or droughts are also reducing rice harvests worldwide. In an effort to “fight climate change grain by grain”, scientists worldwide had worked overtime to create and breed new rice varieties that are more resilient to extreme weather, and contains more essential nutrients that humans need, such as zinc and vitamin A.
Taking the viewpoint as a farmer, I would applaud the scientists’ effort and achievements for creating new breeds of rice that are less vulnerable to bad weather, and helping me to secure a better harvest to feed my family. If I was a boy who is suffering malnourishment in a developed country due to the lack of proper food and nutrients, I would be glad that the scientists had created these new breeds of rice that can aid me in my healthy growth. Also, as a Government official of a rice-producing state, I would definitely welcome these new breeds of rice as they would ensure that my rice industry is more stable and can generate more avenues.
However in my opinion, all these acts of conducting in-depth research and using sophisticated technology to create new breeds of rice that are better in quality holds a greater and more meaningful purpose. All these, I believe, reflect a move taken by scientists in wanting to make a more significant and greater difference to the environment and our society, and personally, I think this is a great step-forward for humanity. The use of Science in this case, definitely serves its intrinsic purpose of being “a study of knowledge for the betterment of Mankind”.
Although I might not fully understand the worries of green-groups, such as Greenpeace, of these breeds of transgenic rice “sowing variants in the environment in an unpredictable and uncontrollable way” and causing great damage to the environment, I can definitely read up more to gain a better understanding of this issue.
All in all, I believe we can and should make a difference to the environment, like the scientists, in ways that we can by not wasting food and resources. However, I believe I should start by finishing my bowl of rice before my mum scolds me again.
Labels: English Blog Article
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7:50 AM
