We want CRISPR cookies!
Ok, we lured you here with cookies.
But we have to talk about something more serious...
This isn't about cookies?
Well, yes in a way, because cookies are primarily made of wheat. But we need to talk about food in general.
Staple crops, like wheat, maize, potatoes and rice are by far the biggest chunk of that in terms of calories produced.
Why is food 'production' important?
Understanding food production is crucial for human welfare and the environment because:
Food security and cost of living
Adequate food production provides food security by ensuring people have access to sufficient, nutritious and affordable food to meet their dietary needs. This helps to alleviate hunger and malnutrition promoting human welfare and well-being.
Reducing impact on the environment
Food production relies heavily on natural resources such as land, water, and energy. We need to optimise food production, by improving agricultural practices, increasing crop yields, and minimizing post-harvest losses. That way we can spare as much land for nature as possible while ensuring adequate food production.
Improving public health
Diet is the key issue when it comes to our health. Understanding and improving foods in terms of nutritional quality, diversity and preservation can significantly improve public health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
What does 'CRISPR' have to do with any of this?
and what is CRISPR anyway?
CRISPR is a revolutionary gene-editing tool that allows us to precisely amend DNA sequences, the basic building instructions of bacteria, plants and humans.
It is derived from a natural defence mechanism found in bacteria, which enables them to guard against viral infections by targeting and cutting viral DNA.
With CRISPR and similar tools we can address several challenges
Environmental Adaptation
Climate change poses significant challenges to agriculture, with rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increased occurrence of extreme weather events. By improving the ability of crops to withstand adverse conditions, such as heat, drought, or salinity, CRISPR can contribute to more resilient agricultural systems.
Minimizing Land Use
By using CRISPR to enhance crop traits such as disease resistance and productivity, farmers can achieve higher yields on the same amount of land. This increased efficiency in crop production means that less land is needed to meet food demands, allowing for the preservation or expansion of natural ecosystems.
#rewilding #landsparing
Reducing Emissions
CRISPR can enhance the nitrogen use efficiency of crops, reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. By reducing the reliance on inputs that generate emissions and pollution, as well as reducing food waste and spoilage by lowering susceptibility of crops to mold infestation, AND sparing more land for nature to draw down carbon, CRISPR contributes to mitigation and aids in the global effort to combat climate change.
Nutritional Improvement
By targeting specific genes responsible for the synthesis of essential nutrients, we can enhance the levels of vitamins minerals and other beneficial compounds, but also reduce carcinogens, mycotoxins and allergens in crops. This can improve the nutritional quality of the food we consume leading to better health outcomes for individuals.
less reading, more video please:
The EU is currently working on regulation of CRISPR, broadly classified as new genomic techniques (NGT's) in food production.
We want to show support for regulation that helps agriculture to adopt these tools and improve its climate resilience and sustainability.
Want to show your support aswell?
1
Take a selfie of you and a cookie
2
Put it on twitter or other socials and share with the hashtag
#wewantcrisprcookies and link to this website crisprcookie.org
the final and most important step, tag relevant EU officials, members of parliament * to show you support CRISPR!
*we've listed a few here
3
#wewantcrisprcookies
DISCLAIMER:
Enjoy your cookies responsibly, and always remember to maintain a balanced diet filled with nutritious foods, -like vegetables, you love vegetables don't you-... that may or may not include an occasional cookie- detour from time to time.
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