Food For Thought (Radio Adelaide)

By Sarah Martin

If you asked me my thoughts on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) a couple of years ago, I would have automatically said I didn’t like them and babbled something about messing with nature.

Since then, I produced a radio program that focused on agricultural science. Through speaking with researchers I discovered that GMOs could deliver benefits like salt and drought tolerance for crops in the face of climate change and lower dependency on herbicides.

So, it seems, it isn’t all bad.

But why then does it all get a bad wrap from some people? Why does even raising it as a discussion sometimes seem like it could be the beginning of a war of ideologies? Once I started discussing GMOs with friends and acquaintances it became clear there was much more to the issue than the science.

In Food for Thought I explore some of the values that weigh into the topic by talking with scientists, ethicists and everyday people about their thoughts on GMOs. This feature aims to give a balanced insight into the different perspectives that need to be considered to have a real conversation about the issue of GMOs, in a bid to encourage deeper thought on what we really expect from food in a world with an ever-increasing population.

_{This piece was made for the CBAA's National Features & Documentary Series 2016, a showcase of work by new and emerging Australian community radio producers, with training and mentoring provided by the Community and Media Training Organisation. The opinions expressed in National Features & Documentary Series content are those of the individual producers or their interviewees, and not necessarily shared by the CBAA or CMTO.}