How Much Do We Know About Genetically Modified Products?

The resistance of agricultural products to certain pests, longer shelf life, increased growth rate, reduced need for irrigation and care, and higher agricultural productivity are among the reasons that supporters of genetic modification in agriculture emphasize. In Iran, these modified products are referred to as 'transgenic.' Organisms whose one or more genes are added or removed through human intervention. In Iran, activities and research in the field of genetic modification of rice have begun, and a type of genetically modified edible oil has been officially imported. These products are sometimes cheaper than their natural counterparts, but some researchers say this method could lead to heavy medical costs in the future, as many tests have shown signs of various diseases after consuming these products. However, these transgenic products are supported by some organizations in Iran, and the import of certain products is done with official permission. Dr. Khadijeh Razavi, a faculty member of the Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Research Institute and a senior plant physiology researcher in Tehran, who is also the head of the Sustainable Development and Environment Institute in Tehran, disagrees with the use of the term transgenic for genetic modification in plants: 'I am not very fond of the term transgenic because it is not understandable for the people. No one knows what this term means and where it fits in. One of the major goals of food protocols is for everyone to know what they are eating, what they are doing, and what may or may not happen to them. The issue of genetic modification is still very new, and we do not know its future. Just as we did not know during the Green Revolution that chemical pesticides and fertilizers would create these problems for us, polluting everything and causing cancer.' The Environmental Protection Agency states that it has written specific regulations in this regard, but it is still unclear whether these regulations have been finalized and implemented. Have people been adequately informed to choose and purchase genetically modified products, or have they been given a choice? The director of the reference laboratory of the Food and Drug Organization recently announced that only genetically modified products that have permission to enter the European Union will be allowed into the country, as the EU has strict regulations in this area. However, the issue is that many EU countries consider these products harmful to the environment and public health and have essentially banned the import and production of these products. In this context, read and listen to an interview with Khadijeh Razavi, a faculty member of the Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Research Institute and a senior plant physiology researcher in Tehran, who has researched this field for years. You say that genetic modification should be approached with care and patience. But why are negative criticisms and expressions of concern and fears about the formation and production of genetically modified products so widespread? How should we remain calm and proceed patiently? The reaction to these products may be determined at a specific time, but we do not know what will happen years later. Research must be conducted very precisely with risk assessment and environmental and ecological evaluation. Another event that has occurred in the world is the death of insects, bees, and butterflies. We really need to consider that fifty or sixty years from now, with our environmental conditions, the people who are currently pursuing these issues may not be around to answer. Just like the conditions of chemical pesticides and fertilizers that people fifty years ago did not know what dangers lay ahead. One of the reasons cited for genetically modifying animals and agricultural products is that we must think about future food threats now. It is also said that we need to be aware of agricultural limitations and food shortages in the future. On the other hand, recent research alone indicates that many of these products, known as GM, can lead to diseases such as allergies, gastrointestinal issues, heart disease, obesity, and dozens of other diseases. How can these two contradictory situations be reconciled? We do not see the need to modify the genetics of products because nature knows how to adapt itself. The issues that have arisen in the world today are precisely due to the excessive use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers that have eliminated nature's natural enemies, resulting in increased use of pesticides and fertilizers, polluting water. This new method, presented by large multinational friends, will not solve the future situation and population growth. Should we, for example, in Iran, go through all this again and face the same conditions and results? Food security, food sovereignty, and the loss of genetic resources are stories that need to be taken much more seriously in the country. We need to return to our own wisdom and prudence. We should not worry about people's food because by increasing crop diversity, we can feed the entire country. And since we are a country with a history of twelve to fourteen thousand years of agriculture, we have gone through trial and error and had everything, and we could have managed it. I see no reason to panic and test the methods of countries whose agricultural history is not even a hundred years old. Science can be available, but it should be in the laboratory. This is my strong belief. When we look, we see European countries one by one banning these products and putting precautionary conditions in place. When I see a huge country like Russia completely banning the import of these products, I think we need to cut back on some of the panic. We have no quarrel with anyone, and I will not allow food to be politicized in my thoughts. Because this issue should not be economic, and we should return to respecting our genetic resources, like our own eyes, and no group has the right to decide on the genetic resources of the country that belong to the nation and the people. This group must respect the genetic resources of the country. You mentioned the ban on the import of these agricultural products to some European countries. But how do you see the agricultural situation in Iran, and how widespread and supported is the import of these products in Iran? I want people to understand that genetically modified products have been entering the country for years without permission. Why is twenty percent of my community becoming infertile? Are we worried about falling behind? Everyone in the world news writes that 29 countries are genetically modifying, and we are falling behind. I say whenever it reaches 199 countries, then I will worry. While it is decreasing day by day, I think we should come out with a little more calmness and less panic. We need to be much more careful. Because a country that has to buy its seeds from outside is already in disarray. We had all of this ourselves, and we must respect our own trial and error. If our seeds become contaminated, it means that wildlife, pasture, forest, trees, bees... are gone, and if bees disappear from the world, pollination will not occur, and that is our first misfortune. It is not right and sufficient that some say it does not concern anyone. Because this situation enters my food basket and goes into my genetic resources, creating chaos in my genes, and it is all a complex story.