Modern Plant Biotechnology: An Antidote against Global Food Insecurity

Food insecurity has become a pressing issue on a worldwide scale as the globe plows through a food crisis. The disastrous impact of this menace has been exacerbated by climate change, frequent conflicts, pandemic outbreaks, and the global economic recession, which have been prevalent in recent years. Although food insecurity prevails globally, it is especially critical in some regions in Africa, East and Southeast Asia, and South America. Several efforts have been made to curb food insecurity; however, none have been able to curtail it sufficiently. Genetic engineering of crops is a fast-growing technology that could be a viable tool for mitigating food insecurity. Crop varieties resistant to pests and diseases, abiotic stress, spoilage, or specific herbicides have been developed using this technology. Crops have been modified for increased yield, nutritional content, essential vitamins, and micro-mineral fortification. More intriguing is the advent of plant-derived edible vaccines, which prove equally effective and significantly affordable. However, in many countries, government policies pose a limiting factor for the acceptance of this technology. This article discusses the genetic modification of crops, highlighting its origins, methods, applications, achievements, impact, acceptance, distribution, and potential as a viable antidote to global food insecurity.