TWC Thoughts, Week 7

BioBusiness Revolution: Agribiology, Envionmental Life Sciences and Industrial Biotechnology (Past, Present and Future)

This is the second part of lesson on BioBusiness where our focus will be on Agribiology, Environmental Life Sciences and Industrial Biotechnology. We started lesson with prof describing to us the different types colours of Biotechnology which represents the different sectors. Eg. Red: medicine and medical processes, White: industrial processes.

We then moved into the topic proper, where the more significant issue is GM Food. Labelling of GM food has always been a controversial topic. The United States do not allow the labelling of GM food, and instead mixes it with non-GM food. I can understand their point of view as they do not want any discrimination between GM and non-GM food. On the other hand, I feel that consumers should have the right to make their own decisions and the government has no right to make choices for them. Then, prof revealed some startling statistics: about 70% of the fishes we eat are cultivated fishes and a GM salmon can grow to twice the size of normal salmons. This shows the effect that Agribiology has on food. Also, there’s the question of whether to go or not to go GM food. However, prof told us that since the start of agri-biology decades ago, we have been genetically modifying stuff on the macro level(Eg Cross breeding, mating of animals/organisms). Hence I feel there is really no point putting a stop to GM food as it is a result of progress.

We went on to Agribiology vs Agribiotechnology where the difference between the two is the use of technology. As we progress, the people in the agriculture sector are going from farmers to farmist. This is because as more people move away from traditional farming, remaining ‘farmers’ become forced to specialised in order to survive. Farmists uses technology to get more effective yields and output in many ways. For example, growing spider webs in farms which can be used to make ropes or integrated into bullet proof vests.
 


Key Takeaway Points

Agribiotechnology has undoubtedly improved farming and agriculture practices. However once again only the adaptable farmers who choose to take up these technologies will progress and become more efficient (high yielding and more variety etc) farmers. Other farmers who stuck to their traditional farming methods will then be less competitive and finally eliminated from the industry. Hence this again shows only those who are adaptable to new technology will survive.
 


Personal Ratings for Session

I found that bit on flash pyrolysis most interesting. If we can really harness the power of all biomass this easily then there would definitely be fewer fossil fuels concerns. To quote prof shahi, we are indeed living in exciting times. I would rate the lesson 8/10.